St. Paul daily globe., 1890-08-09

replied that the schedules would not
be delivered to me until the evening OF
that date, and also that many districts
would no. be completed on that date.
Thousands of complaints came to this
Office on the 14th of June from persons
who claimed they had not been enumer-
ated and the same complaints seem to
have reached Mr.. Porter, for on the
night of June IA he wired me in sub
stance, viz: II am advised by telegraph
as follows: Enquiries throughout the
city show thousands have not been
enumerated. Ii necessary enumeratOrS
may be allowed to run over day or
two"
This permitted the enumerators to
hold the schedules in their possession
several days longer. MIR. Boudinot
called on June Is, when no more than
half dozen schedules had been de-
livered to me, and again instructed me
to send the returns to Washington i'm
mediately. replied that it would take
at least six weeks to examine the Sched-
ules for omissions and errors; he said
that the returns would be examined
closely at Washington and in event of
Discrepancies or Errors
which could not be corrected at Wash
ington they would be returned to me for
correction. He further said that could
only be permitted to examine schedules
in order to count the names enumerated
and to certify to compensation due
enumerators, and that it was Mr.. Por
ter'S imperative orders that the sched-
ules be forwarded at once to Washing
ton. | therefore forwarded the returns
to Washington in accordance to above
instructions, for the law clearly states,
as quoted above, "that it is the super
Visor's duty to forward to the Superin-
tendent of census the completed re-
turns OF his district in such time and
manner as shall be prescribed by said
superintendent" Thus the returns
were all shipped to Washington the first
OH June 81, and the last on June 27, eX-
cepting one district.
My Office force consisted of one man,
one Office boy and one errand boy.
During all of this time l was wholly
occupied with the correspondence with
the enumeratorS in other portions of the
state, which. according to law, were to
complete their work on June 80.
| have been criticised ana cenSured in
that | had not personal knowledge of
the exact condition of each of the 256
enumeratorS' work in this district, and
for not having detected errors and
Implications which have occurred in the
st. Paul portion of the enumeration
In answer to this charge [ say that it
was physical impossi5ility for me to
examine any portion of the schedules
transmitted through this office. |
would further say that to inspect work
Of similar nature, the directory COM
pany employees one experienced Office
man to daily inspect the work of each
five men employed in canvassing for
names. When l engaged in the census
work, expected to conduct it as care
fully and with similar assistance as re-
CARDS examination. and
Respectfully Submit
that only with such assistance and by
such examination could errors and
duplication be discovered.
After the most rigid examinations, to
which st. Paul schedules have been
subjected by upwards of 500 clerks,
the superintendent of census states
that there has been no fraud in st. Paul
enumeration, but that irregularities
have caused Implications.
81 am censured for permitting any
one to have been enumerated in public
buildings. On page of the Book of
Instructions, describing the duties of
enumerators, it is stated that it is the
prime object of the census to obtain the
name and particulars of every person
in the United States. excepting Indians
untaXed."
On page z of the Book of Instructions
after describing the provisions of sec,
ton IL of the census act, appears the
following:
By this provision the enumerator Is placed
under. severe penalties to do the work re-
quired of him honestly and eonscientiously.
The boundaries OF the subdivision allotted to
each enumerGtor are clearly defined in his
commission. and it is his duty to make
thorough and systematic canvass of the ter
ritOry assigned TO him. visiting each house
and establishment in order and obtaining
complete and truthful returns concerning
each individual living or doing business
therein, as required by the law and his oath
os Office.
Living Out.
On page 20, Book of Instructions.
enumeratorS are cautioned to keep
vigilant eye for ''individuals living out
of families" as follows:
By individuals living out Of families" Is
meant all persons occupying lofts in public
buildings, above stores, warehouses, facto-
ries and stables having no other usual place
of abode; persons living solitary in cabins.
huts, or tents; persons sleeping on river
boats, canal boats, barges, etc, having no
in police stations having no homes.
OF the classes just mentioned the
most important numerically, is the
first, viz. those person. chiefly in cities, who
occupy rooms IN public buildings, or above
stores, warehouses, factories and stables. In
order to reach such persons the enumerator
will need not only to keep his eyes open to
all indications of such casual residence in
his enumeration district, but to make inquiry
both of the parties occupying the business
portions of such buildings and also of the
police. In the case, however, of tene-
ment houses and of the so-calied flats of
the great Cities as many families are to be
recorded as there are separate tables.
On page 81, Book of Instructions, ap-
pears the following:
The census law furnishes no definition of
the phrase usual place of abode and it IS
difficult, under the American system OF
protIacted enumeration, to afford admins
| trative directions which will wholly obviate
the danger that some persons Will be re-
ported in two places and others not reported
at ali. Much must be left to the judgment of
the enumerater, who can, II he will take the
pains, in the great majority of instances sat
isfy himself as to the propriety Of including
or not including doubtful cases in his
enumeration Of any given family.
1t is therefore evidently contemplated
that all business blocks and buildings
shall be visited by enumerators, and all
persons having no other usual place of
abode" shall be enumerated.
1t is to be regretted that enumerators
have erred in Judgment, for in every
other respect the st. Paul enumeration
has been found correct.
venture to say that no other city in
the United States will stand the severe
scrutiny which st. Paul has been SUBJ
jected to and come out Of the ordeal as
well, for if proper care has been taken
to secure full Information some duplica-
tions must occur. Yours very respect
| fully, THEo +. SMITH.
MOLINEUX'S GUEST.
Small Herd of Buffalo for the Zoo.