Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-06-13
THE CENSUS.
Some Practical Suggestions Relative II
Perfecting the Count.
m. Az Al.

Some Practical Suggestions Relative te
Perfecting the Count.
To the Editor of the Globe.
An editorial in the GLOBE this morning
| relative to the census enumeration in this
city states:
''The GLOBE is in receipt of numerous state
ments setting forth COMMISSIONS of the census
taker. One shop where twenty-five or thirty
men are emoloyed is reported to US as having
been entirely omitted, though the enumeratol
has been in that region of the city. Ont
policeman in a very small space found twenty
seven names which had been omitted. Several
employees in the GLOBE office have not beer
| counted, and so on we might enumerate long
list
Now, if such gross omissions of the census
enumerators as are above alleged have actu-
ally occurred, (Which can hardly credit,
your informants should be able to specify the
street and number where they occurred. And
respectfully demand that specific informa-
ton be given me on these points.
Every one who sincerely wishes to promote
thorough enumeration will, am sure, be
willing to promptly point out the exact To-
cality of the dwelling or lodging where any
known error or neglect on the part of an
enumeration has occurred.
This city has been divided into twenty
five enumeration districts, with an enumera-
tor for each district. The boundaries
of the districts, and the names of the
enumerators, Except as to two districts
since formed) were published in the daily
newspapers of this city seven days before the
enumeration was to commence. If there
had been any grounds of complaint as to
| the qualifications of any of the enumerators
ample time was thus given for such grounds
of complaint to be brought to my attention.
| But no complaint was made as to the COM
potency of any of them. The pay of each
enumerator in this city is at the rate of two
cents for every person enumerated. II is
| for the their interest to get every name
| they can. A further Indictment to fidelity
| aside from conscientious wish to do their
duty is the knowledge on their part that
their whole pay is to be withheld in case il
shall appear that they have committed seri-
GUS errors-such gross neglects, for example
as are imputed IN your article. Besides,
they know that their work will be subject to
rigorous review and scrutiny. The law re-
quires that each enumerator, as soon as he
| has finished his enumeration, shall file In the
Office of the clerk of the county court
list of the names, with age, sex and color
of all persons enumerated by him; that he
| shall give notice by written advertisement at
three or more public places in his district
| that he will be at the court house of the
county on the fifth day after filing said list
not including Sunday, from 8 O'Clock A. NJ
| to 6 o'clock P. M, and the following day, fo1
the purpose of correcting his enumeration
| by striking out or adding the designation OF
persons Improperly enumerated or omitted
For such purpose the enumerator may swear
and examine witnesses, who shall testify
subject to the pains and penalties OF
perjury. The result of such inquiry for cor.
rection, and the whole number of persons
enumerated by him, he shall make known
to the bystanders, if any.
As an additional means of thoroughness
I, on the 9th instant, requested the mayor OF
the city to have the police visit such dwell
ings and lodgings, in those parts of districts
that the enumerators had completed, as from
their inaccessibility or seclusion seemed the
most likely to escape the enumerator's atten-
ton, and to report to me in writing
any omission discovered, and the street an6
number where it occurred, 80 that could
cause the proper correction to be made
The mayor promptly acceeded to my re-
quest. Naturally all errors discovered would
be reported to me daily, but up to this even
ing not a single error has been reported to
me either through the mayor or police.
invite the fullest criticism and scrutiny OF
the census enumeration. Vague and in
definite complaints, however, can do nc
possible good, but may do great injustice to
people who are faithfully discharging thei,
duty. Respectfully,
9. @. ANDREWS,
Supervisor of Census, Sd Dist, MINI.
ST PauI SATURDAY. avanIno