7 2z THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



tion of the people alone. Crystallized statements, and a somewhat 

 popular analysis of the results of the census as they come out, 

 must be of more or less value, and from them many lessons may 

 be drawn. A series of articles, therefore, comprehending com- 

 parisons and analyses, and bringing out the salient points in all 

 the vast quantity of material digested by the Census Office, can 

 not fail to interest various elements of the population. It seems 

 wise, however, before entering upon a discussion of the statistical 

 features and of the scientific results of the census and the lessons 

 to be drawn therefrom, that these first two chapters should be 

 devoted to the system under which all these various results are 

 obtained. 



The United States census finds its organic authorization in the 

 Federal Constitution, in accordance with Article I, section 2, as 

 follows : 



" Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among 

 the several States which may be included within this Union, 

 according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined 

 by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those 

 bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not 

 taxed, three fifths of all other persons. The actual enumeration 

 shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the 

 Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term 

 of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct." 



The only other reference in the Constitution to a census is in 

 section 9 of Article I, wherein it is provided that " no capitation 

 or other direct tax shall be laid, unless in proportion to the census 

 or enumeration hereinbefore directed to be taken." This organic 

 provision for a periodical census was the first of its kind in any 

 country. It was the result of a good deal of discussion by the 

 framers of the Constitution, and grew out of the difficulties 

 which they experienced in apportioning representatives and tax- 

 ation. There were wide differences of opinion in the Constitu- 

 tional Convention ; but after much deliberation the majority set- 

 tled upon the form of language just quoted, and it became a part 

 of the organic law of the land. There had been, prior to the adop- 

 tion of the Constitution in 1789, various colonial and local cen- 

 suses, and foreign countries had made enumerations at intervals 

 of time ; so that the framers of the Federal Constitution were not 

 particularly unfamiliar with the benefits of census-taking ; but the 

 credit of the first regularly organized periodical census is due to 

 the United States, and this country has had, commencing with 

 1790, regular enumerations of population, and since and including 

 1850 what might be denominated national censuses, comprehend- 

 ing various features other than the mere enumeration of the 

 inhabitants of the country. 



