Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1921-05-12
Figures Of 1920 Count win Be
Almost Worthless in Two
Years.
ARE NOT A TRUE RECORD
Abnormal Conditions In After War
Period Caused AnomaIies-Gov-
eminent and Business Depend
Much on Statistics.

Washington, D. C.-With the popu-
lation of the country counted nose for
nose and the census Of 1920 virtually
completed 1t looks as though congress
would have to dig down into the pOck-
cts of the treasury for $2O,OOO,0OO
more to repeat the operation in 1925.
1t took $23,500,0O0 to take the four
teenth decennial census, the census
that started three years ago, the to-
tails of which are now being compiled.
The fifteenth census will probably
have to drop the term decennial, for
It now appears that 1t will haze to
be started within the next year or two
Ii the country is to have any reliable
statistics, and If this is the case it will
be the first break in the long line of
"stock takings" Uncle Sam has in
dulged in every ten years since 1890
The truth about the 1920 census is
that for this year, last year and next
year its figures are Invaluable, but for
the remaining eight years intervening
between this and the next census, ex-
little more than their own historical
and intrinsic phenomenal value. That
Is to say, they cannot be used for the
year to year computations that the
government and the industries of the
country are accustomed to making.
The fourteenth decennial census was
taken on the regular periodic occasion
set aside since 1890 for taking the ma
tional census. In 1920 that proved for
the first time to be an unfortunate and
not propitious occasion. OF course it
was the war that was to blame. For
the six years previous to 1920 i'm
migration had not only been restricted
because of the war in Europe, but an
unusual number of our recent immi-
grants returned to their native homes
and armies to take part in the war.
Upward Swing in All Lines.
Added to this, industrial conditions
early became upset in this country.
Our munitions and industrial plants
took on gigantic and actually gro
tesque capacities and they were food
ed abnormally with labor. Even the
per capita wealth of the country
swung well over toward the golden
era during this period.
The contrast of unemployment, d.
minishing wealth of the mass of the
people, shutdown of mills and the
turning flood of immigration witnessed
during the last six months Is the best
example of how useless the figures
taken in 1920 will be year or two
from now. Yet even this condition
will not be permanent. In a year or
two the country hopes to be back to
it's normal stride.
The figures of the last few years
will furnish splendid concrete ex-
ample for the future of what to ex-
pect in times of great social upheav-
ais, such as the World war, but sta
tistics that are to serve the country
as a normal guide for it's legislative
and business activities In times of
peace must be taken in the normal
days Of peace.
The great bulk of the present CEN
sus has been completed The census
bureau has already published the to-
tai population of the United States,
there being 105,708,771 souls account
ed for throughout the United States.
This represents an Increase Of 1885,
sos inhabitants, or 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 90 miles west and about one
fifth of a mile north, where it Is now
fixed In the little town of Spencer, Ind.
Little Work Yet to Be Done.
All that remains to be done is the
computation of the statistics In hand
for various special data. the totalling