The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-31
THE CENSUS.
What Population the Returns Wl Show
and What It Really Is.
A SlipShOd Enumeration Caused by q Bad
Census Law.

The law provides that the State census shall be
taken 'ln the month OF June.n To-day IL the last
day OF the month OF July, and the returns OF the
city enumerators are sti incomplete. The Sec
Rotary Of state, Mr.. Diedrich Wiilers has already
written to the County Clerk, asking him TO for
ward all the returns TO Alb my by the last day OF
this month. This has not been done for the good
reason that MIR. Plumb OF the County Clerks
ONCE who has charge OF the census returns,
has not received them all The follow.
ing are the election districts the returns
from which were stu missing yesterday
afternoon TN the First Assembly district, the
Thirteenth, Seventeenth and Twenty.second; Ii
the Second Assembly district the Seventh in the
Fourth Assembly district. the Third in the
Seventh Assembly district, the Fourteenth; in
the Eleventh Assembly district, the Fourteenth;
in the Fifteenth Assembly district the seventh;
in the Sixteenth Assembly district, the First In
the Eighteenth Assembly district, the FIRST; in
the Nineteenth Assembly district tae First and
Ninth; and in the Twentieth Assembly district,
the Thrueth Election district, making altogether
thirteen election districts.
A DEFICIENT COUNT.
MIR. Plumb, who mas pushed forward the worA
OF enumeration with great efficiency, says that
she returns will probably be completed some time
next week and then be Immediately sent to AL.
pany. From the examination OF the returns and
the comparison with the last census figures he is
OF the opinion tnat they VIII loot up TO 100000.
This, however, in his Judgment, VIII not repre-.
sent the actual population OF the city OF New
YORK. which he places at not much less than
l50O, 900. Mr.. Plumb thinks the Work has been
only toerably done, but that the month OF June
was a very uniavorabe one, as 50 many people are
MIR. PIumb's estimate OF the actual population
OF New York-not as the census returns VIII show
an equally good jadge on this subject, the Hon.
Gideon }. Tucker the CITY suparnten ger o. the
viii probably not exceed 1000. co., but that II
every bona tide resident OF New York were
counted The total would certainly come up TO
1850, 900.
When asked why the census was taken in so
unsatisfactory manner. when 1t was so inpor-
TAM that the true pop%ision1 u lhi Tuc cry
had had operated against compete rcsarn.
"a the 'G census s' aRen was amei wien view
prevent complete csunt, and under II no exact
passed in 1865 by Know Nothing Legislature
and signed by republican Governor That
rom tae Interior OF this state, who regarded
New York as cabbage garden which II WAS wei
to plumber. They had always governed New YORK
city, and were aysrse to give il thar representa-
tion-snch as 1t wOnld OBTAIN by correct CEN
sas-by which 1t could govern Itself. Hence the
month oil June was CHOSEN, when 100000 New
OTHER FAULTS or THK LAW
Ia so far as the law itself Is to blame no reSponst
bihty Tor the great deficiency seems to attach
TO the enumera ors themselves. Bat although
they cannot justly be blamed Tor the entire
deficiency 500, 600 which, it is believed, they
have not counted-lhere Is no DOUBT thal they
have largely contributed to il by tee careless
ness and incomplete manner III which thsy have
done their work. Mr., TucGer THINKS that II
was mistake TO allow the Iaramauy ommlt-
tee 70 designate the enumeratorE, rs the Secre-
tary OF state ought to nave exercised direct
onIro over them. ne appointments being po-
auckland they afford an iher proof OF
the pernicious effects OF potlcs Upon even the
rem ltest qualifications Of iEc puolic service many
grossly incompetent men were allowed 10 act as
4 enumerators, and there is no douOi that me
have not done more than hall their work. The
| miserably small ana uncertain pay OF IS . day
was also well calculated 10 camp :ne ardor o.
! these men. "God knows wEen they'l get Jneir
! payp said MY Tucker yesterday, waen mterro-
! gated on the subject II they hal been paid SO
/ much for each name returaeG anu the compcnsa-
! tion had been fixed At a more hbsrai rate, they
wonld nave mad a great Stimulus TO do their work
TROUBLES OF TIE ENUtERAroEs.
Poor enumerators No DOUBT their bed was
the rich, who were too proud TO them and
give lhs information, anu the ignorance OF the
| poor, who thought IN many casss that they had
evil designs the shape o. additional taNes, &C.,
! they had hard time OF 1t, ana most OF mem oy
the time That Comptroller Green Will pay them
the beggarly Compensation which the great state
Of New YORK allows them-pro1ably ia l9O0-wil
| have earned their wages IL Is very laugha0le to
listen to their experiences In those sacred pre-
cinctS OF the Filth avenue where Vine. Shoidy and
Mone Snob rule supreme. or course, the census
enumeration Is generally no sven, aud his gem
eral appearance is lot so ''noOuy as thai oil the
society beau: Well 9e laoored under under me me. add add
Z
under his arm. When the servant girl or the
liveried turnkey opened th9 door 10 aim nc lmine-
dlately thought the servant OF tAe Staie was
pedler or book a tent, Ia botn cases nulsance,
and, following the repeated Instructions of his
mistress, she or lie would say, ave Go't want
any heren He, of course, would try TO explain his
errand, but probably In lie " minutes buaget or
JOnu would Indignantly smut the door In his
lace Then he'd 20 TO the basement door
and try again TO obtain ingress ANA John,
who Is rema rkaby muscular from The regular
consumption OF English roast beef, would proba-
bly, pitcn him out of doors In many cases he
would be compelled 10 call policeman before ne
coull even OBTAIN hearing. Then came the
greatest difficulty. INT LADY would decline to see
the plebean enumerator, and refer aim to her hus-
band down in Wall street or MAIDEN lane. Ut,
which was worse, the house would be deserted
and John or Bridget would not OF could not even
remember the Christian names OF their employ
erg, Wncn the enumeration wrote to the country
place where the latter were staying Tor the sums
mer he, In niue cases out OF ten, receiver no re'
ply whatever.
OUR PUBLIC SPIRITED RICH MIN.
"Our ricn men," as Mr.. Tucker said, take 80
little interest In the pubic welfare tnab tney
won't even give the necessary statistics for thef
enumeration in the census. Mr.. A. l. stewart
give all statistics as TO MS manufactures, ana as
the penalty IS only $50 he can well ch0rd 70 DEFY
the law. Ills example has been followed by wal
ter ". Price, rich brewer Of the Ninth wardi
and other ricn men,"
A great many people ask that another census
be taken, but the constitution provides especially
that II must be taken every ten years rom 1855,
aDd as the legislature does not meet until De-
year and.the Legislature mas no authority under
the constitution TO order another census until
1855. H. Is to be hoped that IL Will not then be
taken IN June when over 100000 people are out
OF Gown,
RAPID TRANSTr