Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 3.djvu/107

 ECCENTRIC OFFICIAL STATISTICS 93

In comparing the report of true valuation of 1890 with like valuations of previous periods it should be borne in mind :

1. That no statement of true valuation previous to 1890 included the value of vacant state or national land or Indian reservations.

2. That the true valuation for 1870 admittedly embraces certain duplica- tions of value of personal property arising from the taxation of mortgages and the realty represented by them, and that the values are inflated, owing to the depreciation of the standard then in use, requiring a corrective reduction of 20 per cent.

3. That for 1860 and 1850 the true value appears to have been made by adding to the assessor's list such an amount as would, in the opinion of the officer reporting, compensate for the undervaluation of the assessors.

If such course was pursued no property exempt from taxation or which escaped the assessor's list is included as a part of the property valued.

These admitted differences of method pursued in reaching the figures of true valuation for the several census periods, and the temporary character of the census office, of themselves preclude any attempt of one census to revise the figures of a previous one, and the figures as published, if not as accurate, as desired, can be accepted with safety as showing in a general way a con- tinuous increase in the wealth of the nation, the exact proportions of which cannot be measured.

Here is an admission that the universal impression regarding this matter derived from the misleading remarks of the Tenth Census and bulletins of the present census is erroneous. Since these remarks were written by Mr. Upton, who prepared the misleading bulletins, it is not surprising that in them he endeav- ors to envelop the matter in doubt by saying, "if such a course was pursued." That such a course appears to have been followed he admits, but what appear to be the facts conflict with precon- ceived opinions and theories and so, though it is evident that under the earlier census law and the instructions which they received the marshals could have pursued no other course, Mr. Upton says, "If such a course was pursued no property exempt from taxation or which escaped the assessor's list is included."

How far the public is misled by census figures which we find quoted without explanation or word of warning, not only in widely circulated unofficial works of reference such as the Chi- cago Daily News Almanac, but in the Statistical Abstract and in bulletins of the labor bureau, can only be judged when we have