Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-05-28
CAPITAL CHAT.
M!!!!aa!i!a!ellcsns Figures
Readytn'About Six Weeks.
ManutactuIles|C Maine
|s,.Progressing Well,
Senator Hale Making Ready Sun.
dry Civil Appropriation Bill.

Washington, D. c., May 27.-(Spe-
ciaD.-The first census figures to be
made public for Maine will probably
be The cities of Augusta and Portland.
Census Director E. Dana Durand said
today that the figures of population for
those and for most other Maine cities
would probably be ready in about six
weeks. BY the middle of June the
census officials hope to complete the
tabulations for large centers. Proba-
bly, New York city will be one of the
first cities whose population can be
stated officially.
AS the large cities are disposed of,
the census officials will direct atten-
ton to the smaller ones and in all pro-
liability there will be some figures for
Maine in early July. After completing
the tabulation of the cities the census
bureau will tabulate the population of
country districts and in all probability
the population of Cumberland, Andros-
cOggin and Penobscot counties will be
announced in advance of the figures
for the entire State. 1t is hardly prob
able that the population of Maine will
be officially known till late in August
or early in September.
Some enterprising folks have pro-
fessed to have advanced figures on the
population of states and cities. 1t is
we'll understood at the census office
how these estimates are obtained but
the estimates are obtained have no Of
fetal value. They are made by taking
the figures of vital statistics. which the
census bureau publishes every year,
and, after ascertaining the PERCENTAGE
of increase in population in given To-
cality, one can make a tolerable guess
as to the present population. a set of
figures on the population of Rhode Is
land was put out while ago. They
purported to give the population of
Providence and Pawtucket. which have
become in sense rival towns. A big
agitation ensued in Pawtucket because
ii was claimed that that town had
4,00C more people at least than the
census returns allowed 1t goes with
out saying that such census returns
have no real value. however much they
may interest newspaper readers. Any
well informed census official can esti-
mate the population of any considera-
BILE locality of the United States pretty
closely. The maintenance of a perma-
neht census bureau, whose officials and
employees busy themselves all during
the ten years period in studying the
growth and in the perusal of every 10
cal census. has made this guessing on
population feasible.
But the guesses will by no means
tally with the official census returns
whose value to the country will be that
they are accurate and will furnish the
basis for many useful compilations
during the next ten years.
The manufacturers census in Maine
is progressing well but probably the
eru,ncrators will not be through till
we'll into July. The work is divided
into some Is or IA districts and about
20 persons are employed in listing the
activities in Maine. The
work has been completed in only one
of those districts and the agent has
sent his records to Washington. 1t
was expected from the start that the
manufacturers census would be much
behind the census of popuiatlon WhlcF
is the essential feature of taxing de-
cennial enumeration of all the peo2'e-
Several Maine people. interested II
the Information Sunday schooi conNeh
tion have been tarrying in Washing
TON following the adjournment ct ina
body. to improve the opportunities TO
sightseeing. They have neeh sis,ur'
Mt the Capitol almost daily anH nav
met a number of Maine peop'e there.
Senator Hale is making reaoE sof "
consideration Of the last big approprfi
ton budget, of the session-the "uhoa'
Civil Appropriation bill 1t WI, con, com
| over from the House now SHORTY
| Communications have been pourin
into his committee on approprist
urging increases for this and that item
in advance of the receipt of the hi
itself. Many men interested in certa'