Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 August 1879 — The Cenals of 1880. [ARTICLE]

The Cenals of 1880.

We learn by dispa.ones sum Washington that Gen. Francis A. Walker, Superintendent of Census, is vigorously pushing forward the preliminary work of his office, and completing as rapidly as practicable the classification of subjects to be confided to the charge of specialists. Mr. F. H. Wines, Secretary of the Illinois State Board of Chanties, has been engaged to conduct the inquiries respecting the blind, deaf, and dumb idiots, inmates of prisons and reformatories, etc. The statistics relating to these classes have hitherto been so defective that, as Gen. Walker expressed it. they were not worth printing. Not only is this true, but, like all other worthless statistics, they were worse than useless, because they have been quoted and false conclusions built upon them. An important feature of the new Census law is that which requires the Superintendent to obtain the facts relating to the condition of each railroad corporation, and to the condition, characteristics, and operations of each railroad. The schedules for these inquiries have already been prepared, and are now being sent out. If anything like full replies are received, the people of the United States will be placed in possession of a mass of most complete and valuable information respecting railroads to be found in any country. Gen. Walker says that he finds the matter of obtaining statistics of State, county and municipal debts the most difficult and important of any with which he will have to deal. No plan for gathering this class of statistics has yet been determined upon.