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200
iii. CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION OF SWEDEN.
This being so, the death-rates given for Sweden, for these ages, cannot, of
course, in themselves be inadmissible.
And finally, as for the great decrease of mortality in Sweden for the
ad-vanced-age groups, which Mr. von Mayr also regards as improbable, this
decrease is, first of all, not so extraordinary as he seems to suppose (cf. Table 23,
p. 124, and Table 24, p. 126); and furthermore, a considerable decrease in the
death-rates of those groups has long been expected and, indeed, foretold in this
country, because those groups are now, for the first time, represented by a
generation which in childhood had the advantage of vaccination. That generation
has ever since proved to be endowed with greater vital power from age to age,
as compared with previous generations, and nowadays it shows the same
phenomenon in the ages which approach the limits of life.
To show that Swedish specialists justly consider our census method superior
to that prevalent in other European countries, — may be mentioned that, as
regards the city of Gothenburg, which on the strength of local regulations had
used to employ the common European census system, it was decided in 1890 to
cease using it and to adopt the general Swedish census method, a preliminary
inquiry having fully shown that this latter would bring out & more accurate
result. At Stockholm, the common European system is still in force on account
of a peculiar registration law — as formerly in Gothenburg — but even here a
proposition has been made with a view to adopting the general Swedish plan,
this city being the only place where it is not yet employed.
The above has been alleged for the purpose of substantiating the statement
that the census returns as obtained in Sweden are thoroughly reliable with
respect to total population figures. As to the points of repartition concerning age
and civil conditions, the correctness of census results in this country is
indisputably greater than in any other, and that very naturally so, as these
reports are obtained, in Sweden, from official documents, while, in other countries,
they are obtained from the people themselves. Only in one respect is our Swedish
material inferior, viz. in the denominations of occupation. But the opinion is
more and more gaining ground everywhere, that this point cannot be
satisfactorily solved at a general census, but that recourse must be had to a special
census of professions. This is, of course, a question of expense. As to the costs
for census, the Swedish method stands unparalleled, the whole of the necessary
material being supplied gratis by the clergy.
Finally it may be stated that the first census is of 1749; during the period
1751/76 one census was taken in every three years, from then till 1860, every
fifth year, and finally, as at present, every tenth year (1870, 1880, 1890, and
1900), always on December 31. Since 1860, the clergy have, moreover, annually
sent in figures of population, they being enabled to do so by the uninterrupted
registers running on from year to year. This system has brought out so reliable
a result that in respect to political rights, which, in Sweden, are based upon the
population figures, these annual reports are unhesitatingly received as legal evidence.
Brief accounts of the other branches of Swedish statistics are given in the
sections dealing with their respective subjects.
Official Maps.
A) Surveyors’ Maps. Formerly it fell to the lot of public
land-surveyors in Sweden to produce and take charge of maps of various
descriptions: geometrical, geographical, hydrographical, and military.
The first instructions given to a head official at the institution of public
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