Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1872.djvu/20

16 naugurateinaugurate [sic] the study of political and social statistics in the colleges and higher schools of the land.

The recommendation made by the Superintendent for a census to be taken in 1875 will, I trust, receive the early and earnest attention of Congress. Such an account of the national numbers, wealth, and industry, would form an invaluable catalogue and guide-book to the American sections in the International Exposition to be held in Philadelphia in 1876, as well as constitute a noble monument to the progress of the United States during the first century of its political life.

The additional reason urged by the Superintendent that a census in 1875 would go far to secure the taking of the Federal census thereafter at intervals of five years has even stronger claim to consideration. It is unquestionably true that the interval at present established between the Federal censuses is too long for the proper information of Congress and the body of citizens, as to the material condition, wants, and resources of the nation. No one will dispute this. In the present stage of political and social science, no intelligent person would, were the question a purely original one, propose a longer interval between the periodical enumerations of the country than five years. It is simply a question now, whether the constitutional provision shall be enlarged to meet the manifest requirements of this later time. Regarding, as I do, the provision of the Constitution in respect to the census as a minimum provision, guaranteeing to the growing States that not less than once in ten years shall the representation in Congress be apportioned according to a new determination of the population of the several States, I see no difficulty in making the intermediate census thus proposed the equivalent in all respects for the decennial census authorized and required by the Constitution. But, in view of the doubts which might not unreasonably arise in the minds of some as to this construction, and of the jealousy of the States more stable in population, arising from the fear of parting prematurely with portions of their representative power, I would recommend that the census of 1875, if authorized and provided for, should be distinctly divested of a political character, and the next redistribution of congressional representation be left to follow the census of 1880, as in due course by the Constitution.

The operations of the United States geological survey have been very much extended the past season, owing to the increased appropriations by Congress. It was deemed advisable by the Department to continue the work of exploration in the little-known region of the Northwest about the sources of the Yellowstone, Missouri, and Snake Rivers. Accordingly, the chief geologist was directed to organize two properly-equipped parties. One party, under the immediate direction of Mr. James Stevenson, took, as its initial point, Ogden, Utah, and proceeded hence to Fort Hall, Idaho. From this point a careful survey of the