powell] sociology lxi 



Statistics 



Statistics is the science of the enumeration of human beings 

 and the material things wliich they produce. Here we have 

 to consider what is meant by enumeration or counting. First, 

 counting- is determination of kind, then it is the determination 

 of the number of tlie kind. CLassification consists in deter- 

 mining the kind and in considering all of that kind in giv- 

 ing it a name; but enumeration consists in considering that 

 series of a kind whicli is determined by some human purpose. 

 The conventional series is always considered in conventional 

 numbers, while the natural series or class is all of the kind. 



Kind and form are concomitant, and thus forms ma}- be 

 coiuited, but usually such counting would lead to unwieldy, 

 impracticable, or even inconceivable numbers; hence repre- 

 sentative numbers are devised. The de\dce used in reducing 

 vast numbers to practical numljers is measurement. We do 

 not count the grains of wheat, but we measure them in bushels. 

 We do not count the blades of hay, but we measure hay in 

 tons. We do not count the drops of molecules of wine, but 

 we measure wine in gallons or by some other unit. Thus, 

 measurements are adapted to the state in wliich the article 

 exists, as gaseous, fluid, or solid, and the units of the difterent 

 states are made commensurate. 



Animals may be counted without measui-ement, but they 

 also may be measured; the method of measuring them is by 

 weight. Other methods adopted in statistics for measuring 

 forms is the measurement of spaces; but in weighing, a force 

 is measured — the force of gra,vity. This method of ineasur- 

 ing does not give units in terms of motion, but units in terms 

 of one mode of motion, which is gravity; therefore the units 

 are in terms of force. There are other units of measurements 

 devised in the arts, as for example those for light, heat, steam, 

 electricity, etc., but we will not consider them here. 



The common units of measure are units of space or of grav- 

 ity. Governments prescribe the units of measurement in the 

 interest of justice, and the instruments of measurement are 

 regulated by law and kept under government surveillance. 



