Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-09-02
The Southern Census Frauds.
Chicago Tribune.


Ii frequently happens that fraud defeats
its own purpose by making itself too ap.
parent There is q prospect that this will
be the outcome of the manifest falsdca.
tiOn Of the census In certain OF the South.
ern States. The South Carolina fasders
have certainly oyer-reached themselves.
When the Charleston 6, CO. Nttos and
Courier announced from data which hnd
been furnished II by cnumerators that the
population OF the state would show an in
crease OF IS per cent, the statement at
once aroused universal suspicion OF fraud.
This was increased when similar reports
came from North Carolina and the two
NirgiDias. 1t then began to dawn upon
the country that there had been precon.
certed arrangement In the South to make
an official exag geraion of the population
IN order TO secure political advantage
in Congressional representation. The
only reply that came from the Census
Bureau to this suspicion, when expressed
WAS that the official enumeration had not
been actually aggregated, and tina, 1t WAS
not proper to take cognizance OF I'M
authoriz d estimates
1t is now reported, however that the
actual aggregation of the census In South
Carolina will show An increase during the
past ten years OF 43 per cent? Such a
showing, IN contrast with the increase In
the most prosperous Western States, in
the face OF the contradictory statements
as TO business, revenue, education, etc,
and in spite OF the well. known fact that
foreign emigrants to this country avoid
the South in the main, will be altogether
too severe strain upon the crcdullty OF
the country, and will almost certainly
lead to recount under new supervisors
and enumerators. All The conditions OF
this alleged increase in South Carolina
betray lis falsity In an average increase
OF 43 per cent throughout the State, the
two counties which contain the leading
and growing Characterization and Co.
lumbis-report an increase respectively
of only 10 and 7 per cent A backwoods
county, which In 1870 had less inhabi-
tnnts than 1t had forty years before, now
reports IN increase OF 80 per cent The
explanation 10 that the frauds were not
feasible in the commercial and INTEL gent
communities where Republicans still have
some standing, and that the frauds in
other sections had TO be carried beyond
all reason in order 10 make out the de.
sired increase in the State as
whole. While South Carolina reports
an increase Of population amounting TO
43 per cent. within the past ten years, the
government reports an actual decrease OF
% per cent IN the internal revenue re-
ceipts Wthu the same period; yet the
States Of NJ chigan and Mnnesots show
an average Increase OF internal receipts OF
more than 40 per cent during the same
time, while claiming only about one.half
Is much increase in population. In the
distribution of mail matter there has been
an increase OF only 81 per cent during
the decade, while the Western States,
with their real increase ia population Of
only one half OF the assumed increase in
South Carolina, have added twice asnach
10 the postal revenues. Other facts equally
significant stamp the South Carolina cen.
sus as fraud, and the same az true OF
other Southern States where an exsgger-
ated increase in population Is reported.
The Administration must deal with
these frauds promptly and summary.
Fortunately 1t has the auth ority 10 order
q new count. Any other course, under
the circumstances, will be gross poiti.
cal outrage upon the Northern States.
The South already enjoys an uncOnstiiu.
tional proportion OF representation in
Congress, because It has practically di-.
franchised large numbers Of us citizens,
who are thus deprived OF representation.
This injustice must not be increased by
census frauds as we'll The
proper remedy should be applied at once,
Tor delay and tritlng will only serve to
give the frauds q stronger hold upon The
records.