Report of the Superintendent of the Census Made to the Secretary of the Interior, 1878 (Classic Reprint)

Rethinking the census: how officials in 1878 argued for a smarter, more cost‑effective national survey.

This book presents a detailed critique of the 1850 census framework and a forward‑looking plan for the 1880 census. It weighs who should supervise enumeration, how enumerators are hired, and how census districts are drawn. The author also discusses the use of prior schedules, the scope of questions, and the role of specialized agencies in collecting manufacturing and mining data. The goal is clearer, more accurate results at lower cost.

• Understand proposed shifts in supervision from marshals to dedicated census staff.
• See arguments for adjusting district boundaries and the number of supervisors.
• Learn why the author recommends limiting certain questions and refining schedules.
• Explore the debate over integrating expert data collection with standard population surveys.

Ideal for readers of history, governance, and the evolution of statistical data collection.