Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1879.djvu/52

50 Office, for such losses cannot reasonably be supposed to occur with respect to any but small, fractional portions, which could be replaced by a new enumeration at a cost of a few hundreds, or, possibly, thousands of dollars.

The only appreciable danger to be apprehended affects the accumulated stock of the returns after their receipt at the Census Office.

It is doubtless true, as shown by the Superintendent, that the danger of such destruction during the few months necessary to complete the compilation of the most important statistical results, those which relate to the population of States, counties, cities, and towns, and which classify the population according to color, age, sex, race, and nationality, would be very slight, and that exceptional provisions against such danger could be made at a cost small in comparison with the first cost of a copy of the returns; but it is my opinion that in dealing with a matter so fundamental in our political system as the decennial enumeration of the people for the purpose of apportioning representation among the States, considerations of economy in expenditure should be subordinate, and I recommend that a copy of all the returns made by enumerators, under the act of March 3, 1879, be authorized, and appropriation made therefor.

The report of the Superintendent contains an account of the organization and operations of the Census Office subsequently to the passage of the act of March 3, 1879, sufficiently in detail to exhibit the novel features which have been introduced into that service by the express provisions of the act, or in the exercise of the large discretion vested in the Superintendent relative to the agencies to be employed in collecting statistics not directly political in their character.

The operations of that office naturally divide themselves into two groups, those which are preparatory and preliminary to the count of the people, to take place next summer, and those which are directed to the collection of statistics relating to the current twelve months.

Under the act of 1879, as under that of 1850, there is, as the Superintendent remarks, a census day and a census year. The census day is June 1, 1880. The census year comprises the period June 1, 1879 to May 31, 1880; and for the whole of this period the law requires certain very important classes of statistics to be collected relating to agriculture, manufactures, mining, and the fisheries, to taxation and public education, to pauperism and crime, to mortality and the causes of death, &amp;c. The act of 1879 differs from that of 1850, by authorizing the employment of experts and special agents at the discretion of the Superintendent of Census, for the collection of these classes of statistics.

Under this provision, several special investigations of a very wide reach have been already set on foot, and others will probably be instituted as the occasion arises.

In making these arrangements careful consideration has been had of the maximum limit of expenditure fixed by the act of March 3, 1879.