Carroll D. Wright's Second Lecture

In his second lecture on Statistics, Hon. Carroll D. Wright considered the subject of population. It is advisable to begin with population, in the study of statistics, as all social and political estimates are based upon it. The first thing to do is to asceriain the number of inhabitants of the country. Formerly this was done by estimation, and is still to a certain extent. But this system is a vicious one in some respects, and the results are to be taken with great allowance. The U. S., since 1790, and England, since 180 1, have had a carefully arranged svstem for ascertaining the population. In this country people are enumerated as found, and afterwards the various subdivisions are made. Our social statistics arte derived from the census and are very valuable if properly used. The center of population has changed since 1790 from a line passing through Baltimore to one passing through the middle of Indiana. It is impossible to make cor. reet mathematical calculations in regard to population extending over any lengthof time. General Walker estimated that the effects of the war on population will extend through a generatioh. The U. S. has kept a record of emigrants since 1819. Up to June. 1887, they numbered 14,239,540, more than fifty per cent of whom are Protestants, and the vast majority of whom are engaged in manufacturing pursuits. In the large cities the foreign born vote has great influence, but in the country at large it has very little. Statistics prove that the increase in foreign born population is not so great as is generally claimed. It is a mistaken idea that the balance of power lies