St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-11-12
III CANNOT BE PARTISAN.
Porter Says Politics Cuts no Fig
ure in the Census.


NEW YORK, Nov. ll.-Frank Leslie's
OF this week, just out, prints a long
article OH the eleventh census from SUI
perintendent Porter, III which, among
other things, Mr.. Porter, replying to
critics, says: ga partisan census is an
impossibility. The eleventh census is
not the work of one man. but will rep
resent the united labor of 10000 per-
sons. TO assault the census, therefore.
is to impeach the honesty of vast
army of intelligent and conscientious
men and women. The assumption
that it would be possible to depress the
returns in one section of the country
and Initiate them in another is based
upon ignorance OF census methods and
lack of knowledge us to the results thus
far published. The enumeration OF the
people thoroughly and honestly con-
Quoted was hedged aud guarded by
law passed by the same party that now
SO maliciOusly asSails it, aud was super
ylSed by experts and special agents,
nine-tenthS of whom performed the
same work ten years ago and not one OF
political faith. The census of New
York was taken June and the results
made public In July. No complaints OF
the enumeration were filed until Sep
TENDER. Without attempting, as other
cities have done, to point out omissions,
the local authorities, ignoring the fact
that the federal census should be as of
the first of June, proceeded to take
census OF their own in October. No one
supposed that the two enumeratiOnS
would correspond, and no one has
thus far been able to ascertain whether
the discrepancies outside of these which
may readily be accounted for are due to
the careless omissions OF June. or the
Intentional additions and Implications
OF October. The federal enumerators
were paid so much q name. They were
under oath to enumerate the people in
accordance with law. 10 omit names
which should have been enumerated
made enumcratOrS liable to fine and i'm
prsOnment. On the other hand, the
police were appointed for the sole pur-
pose or flnding in October more pOpula-
ton than the federal enumerators in
June. Five doubtful eases in each hun
dred would mean an addition of IS, 600,
and ten doubtful or improper enumera-
tons 10000. 10 abandon the federal
count merely on the ground that the
mayor of New York had written brief
letter stating that an enumeration thus
conducted had been made, and offering
no proof, would have brought the
census office into ridicule. In
other, cities the police merely
asked of househ0lders if they
had been enumerated June i. The
names of those who claimed tliey were
not enumerated were forwarded to the
census office. and compared with the
schedules. Had this method been
adopted I'D New York at the proper
time the substantial accuracy of the
federal census would have been estab-
lished to the satisfaction of fair-minded
citizens. Was it partisan motives that
prompted the superintendent to urge, in
spite OF powerful protests, recount in
the two largest cities in Republican
Minnesota well knowing that it meant
reduction in population of $1,000 or
$1,000, or that refused recount in spite
OF the tremendous efforts made to dis
credit the census in Republican Oregon?
Those prejudiced partiSans are to be
pltled who can see politics in the fact
THAI Texas increased 1924 per cent dur
ing the decade and California 1924, Ar
kansas 1923 and Wisconsin 27.90, Florida
Ass and Kansas 1921, Georgia Is. 95 and
Ohio, 14.65; Kentucky 1854. and New
Hampshire S.3l; Mississippi, 13.45;
Maine, Ii; Maryland Ills, and Indiana
1865; South Carolina 1923, and Yer
mont a decrease of 002; Virginia 9.Ol.
and Nevada loss of 2S.Sl per cent. If
these percentages indicate politics to
the minds of the American people, then
the Republic is, indeed, in danger, for
average intelligence is at low ebb. If
the still more remarkable percentages
OF growth iii the Northwestern and Pa
cific states are to be attributed to cen
sus padding for political purposes then
our growth and prosperity is myth,
ami all other evidences Of advancement
misleading