s of its
people. The makers of that instrument seemed to have an intuitive sense
of the importance of such a step, for they had no guide and borrowed
from no precedent. It is true the fundamental law provides only for an
enumeration of persons, but under the authority given to Congress to
"provide for the general welfare" such laws have heretofore been passed
as have rendered our census reports documents of inestimable value. It
is doubtful if any people have ever taken so great pains to find out
"how they are getting along," or have ever made so great and immediate
use of that information. So marked is the fact that the Constitution
requires a decennial census that a distinguished French writer on
statistics declares, "The United States presents in its history a
phenomenon which has no parallel. It is that of a people who instituted
the statistics of their country on the very day when they formed their
government, and who regulated in the same instrument the census of their
citizens, their civil and political rights and the destinies of their
country."

To understand the progressive steps by which our census has reached its
present magnitude and importance a brief glance is necessary at the
successive laws under which the enumeration has been made and the manner
in which their results have been presented.

The first census was taken in 1790, under the act of March 1 of that
year, and many of the worst features of that tentative experiment still
remain to vex the soul of every one who desires a census which shall be
in accord with the demands of science and the times. Then, as now, the
United States marshals were designated to conduct the enumeration. They
were authorized to employ as many assistants as might be needful, and
each assistant was required, prior to making his return, to "cause a
correct copy of the schedule, signed by himself, to be set up at two of
the most public places within his division, there to remain for the
inspection of all concerned." It is from this crude law that the
mischievous custom is borrowed of having a copy of the census returns
deposited with the county court clerk. As originally conducted, the
system was harmless, since only the names of heads of families were
given and only the number of persons constituting the family reported.
The compensation was also based on the number of persons returned by the
assistant marshals. The form of schedule was as follows:

___________________