San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-06-30
THEIMPERFEcT CENSUS.

Juding from the very general COM
plant made against the census re-
turns everywhere it seems either
that the work has been done with I'M
usual carelessness or that the expecta-
tions of people have been unusually
high. A careful review of the whole
ground covered will show that no
little of the dissatisfaction arises from
this latter cause. While it is true
that under no condition, even the
most favorable conceivable can all the
names Of a populous city be Sc
cured, it is equally true that 1t is no
more difficult to secure them in 1890
than it was in 1880. 1t is also true
that In that year there was q great
deal Of kicking at the returns and the
result was accepted with very Ill
grace In the cities where the enumer-
alton fell very much below the esti-
mated population. The race for popu-
lation has grown to an insane one I'm
many of the western cities, and the
expectation that proper census of
the people will conform to the esti-
mates made by rivalry upon no just
basis, is manifestly absurd. There
must be more tangible proofs of care
lessness and gross inaccuracy
than are afforded by this diff
ference between estimated popula-
tions and census returns to justify
the wholesale attacks that are made
upon the enumerators, the supervisors
and the census bureau. There is no
way of estimating the population of
any city, that is growing even mod
erately, and arriving at result that
may not be finn ten to twenty per
cent. erroneous, no matter how care
fully the estimate is made, be it upon
scholastic returns, directory names or
recorded votes. There are circum-
stances and conditions modifying all
Of these conditions, and no fixed basis
Of estimated numbers upon any of
them will give a true result. The
of rival cities to secure
prestige gives rise to inflated esti-
mates, which in time come to be &C.
copied as correct, and when the &C.
tual returns are in and the numbers
fall thousands of names below the es-
Inmates the census enumerator is
blamed. There may be cause for
blaming him and there may not, but
the mere fact that his enumerations
do not tally with the inflated esti-
mate is no such cause. Take Austin
with her estimated $4,000 Houston
with her estimated A, 900, Dallas with
her estimated 600O0-who believes
that there is within twenty per cent.
Ot these estimates in any of
these cities. San Antonio's estimate {
from ST, 900 TO 81, 1000 will be very little
out of the way, because this city is
not in the initiation business. Dry
facts and hardpan bottom are her
The one thing in
all this question of population that
really concerns the people, is its
bearing TTOu representation in the
state and national legislatures. The
redistricting is based
upon these federal census returns
and it is important, particularly so
on this account, that the returns be
as accurate as possible. The dem
ocratic insinuation that the returns
are being doctered and names omit
ted in order to cut down repres-
entation in democratic states is too
puerile to be worthy consideration.
1t will always De that the greatest
inaccuracy will be found where the
greatest illiteracy prevails, and out
side Of this there will not be found
any material differences between one
locality and another. Certain it is
that the mere fact of politics can cut
no figure,
THERE are more yelping ours, and
bowling hounds, and barking dogs Of
large size and larger lung power,