Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1921-06-04

S.S NUS DteH CUHlUieteu. LIE CeHSuS
bureau has already published the to-
J tai population of the United States,
there being 05,7OS,771 souls account
ed for throughout the United States.
This represents on increase of 1885,
sos inhabitants. OF 14.9 per cent in
crease of population since 1910. 1t
has even moved the imaginary point
representing the center Of pOpula-
ton" from Bloomington, Ind, to q
point 9.S miles west and about one
| fifth of mile north, where 1t Is now
fixed in the little town of Spencer, Ind.
Little W~':> Yet to Be Done.
All that remains to be done is the
computation Of the statistics in hand
| for various special data, the totalling
| of data by states and minor subdivisl
ions and the publication of the census
abstract and finally the census report
for 1924. This will complete the Job"
and will probably be done by the end
of the year Then 1t is probable that
| instead of settling down to its minor
interdecennlal census, 1t will be in
| Structed by congress to get itself
| ready for three years more of national
! "stocktaking."
More than 100000 persons were EN-
ploycd in taking the present census.
In all, congress appropriated $23,500,-
600 for the three years of work. The
period covered in taking the census
was from July l, 1919, to June so,
1921.
In 1918 and 1919, when congress
WAS appealed to for funds for the
| work the members were warned that
the results would probably be unsat
isfdctory and that another census
might he necessary almost immedi-
atrly. so important was the census
considered, however, that congress de-
c!tIcd to take it at the regular time
set aside for it and then, il necessary,
take n following census.
importance Of the Census.
Unless one studies the reports Of
the census figures he does not realize
how important it is for Uncle sam
to count noses, first Of all for reasons
of government and, secondly, for the
harmoni2tng Of our industrial and so
cial life. The census, of course, gives
fairly accurate figures Of actual and
potential wealth throughout the cOun-
try, which Is invaluable for tax pur-
poses.
Consider the plight the staff Of the
army would have been In during the
war, as well as the rest of the cOun-
try, IL 1t could not estimate either the
source Of human or material supplies.
All the statistics of the government,
of labor and of business; all figures
used by insurance companies, banking
and agricultural statistics would be
vague guesses without the comprehen-
sive and approximately accurate ten
year tally made by the government as
a basis from which to compute.
When the government started COM
piling census figures in 1890 the work
of enumerating the populace was In
trusted to II United States marshals,
| and the actual enumeration was done
by $50 marshals' assistants. The fig
ures compiled were sent to the Pres
ident, who turned them over to the
secretary of state. In turn they were
transmitted to the printer and printed
In an octave volume of Sc pages.
There Is striking contrast between
the first census report in book Of
So pages s by inches in size and
the hundred or more volumes In quar-
to az by inches) of approximately
! 10000 pages published as q result of
the 1910 census.
The first census taking was fraught
with hardshlps, the enumerators max
ing journeys over unimproved roads
In stages and on horseback. In fact.
some smaller communities were con
sidered too isolated to visit. Among
these were Detroit and Vincennes,
Ind Western New York was will
derness at that time, Elmira and Bling
hamton being only detached hamlets.
The chief data taken for the first
census related to the heads of fam
| lilies and other data were considered
as related to these family heads. Phil
| adelphia was the capital at the time
| This census showed the great metrop-
| oils Of New York with population
in those days of $4,000 inhabitants.
Even then it was the largest city In
the United States. But the state of
New York ranked poor fourth In
population In comparison with Vir-
| sinia Pennsylvania and Massachu-
| sets.
U. s. Had $685. In 1890.
The total population Of the United
States In 1790 was registered as $685.
635 persons. For 1920 the census fig
ures show a total population Of 1885,
7OS,771, Or a percentage increase In
1870 years Of $500 per cent. To ex-
pect the same relative increase In the
next 1870 years would give us popu-
lation in the year 2O5O of something
In excess Of three and half billions.
But getting down to- earth, 1t is
rather easy to calculate from past his
tory what the population mark will
be In normal or similar conditions In
ten, twenty or thirty years. The big
| Ia hns