New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-24
THE FACTS As TO NEWYORk.

President Walker, who was census Super,n-
tepdent in 1870 and 1880, declares that there
is no ground for presumption that the census
of 1890 is incorrect. Ills great experience in
dealing with complaints and recounts entities
his opinion to weight, and he differs widely
though opposed to the present Administration
from partisan organs which conceal the truth
in the hope of political advantage. HIS opin-
ion exactly fits the case respecting the census
of this city. The recount here entirely fails to
create presumption that the original census
was in error. All partisan prejudice in favor
of one count or the other should pc put aside
if the facts are to be fairly considered.
There is evidence that more than 100000
persons may have come to this city since the
census began, of whom there is no evidence that
they have left. The immigrants at this port
alone were 99.S74 in June, July and August,
and probably 80, 900 more in September. How
many have gone to other parts OF the country
there is no evidence. Reckoning only the
farms in Columbia Greene and Delaware coun-
ties and south of these in this state, 4l,0OO
in 1880, in Northern New-Jcrsey ana Mon
mouth County, then 20, 600. and III fairiieid
and Litchfed counties OF Connecticut, thcn
10000, there are 1900 farms on which at
least one more hand for each must be required
in spring and summer than after harvest, and
in the fall the men from these farms naturally
seek employment for the winter in the city.
Certainly not less than $4,000 Well-to-do per-
sons, business and professional men, occupy
country residences near New-York in the care
Of which at least one more hand is required III
summer than in winter. The laborers i'll brick
wards alone within the area above described
were $500 in 1880, and are probably 1900
now. and in all other occupations when 90 lo'
continue during the winter fully as many more
.,crSons must be employed, while the natural
excess of births over deaths in the four months
in this CITY would he about 10000. Thus
o5o 600 persons or more, who were either not
living in this country in June or were en-
ployed elsewhere, have come or may naturally
have come to this city by the middle OF Octo-
Der. and there is no evidence that any except
q part of the immigrants have left the city
The natural presumption is that the census in
June more nearly shows the actual population
of the city at that time than the Mayors count
in October.
I,ut if there remains discrepancy of 80 600
to 10000 persons. there is no presumption
whatever that the census rather than the
Mayors count is in error. In fact the natural
presumption is that count made for political
purpose. to get as many names as possible
would exceed by many thousand count made
solely 10 enumerdtc the population correctly.
Errors there were, no doubt, in both enumera-
tons some thousands may easily have been
omitted by the ctnsuS-tlkers in their haste to
get their work done. Other thousands, OF TEN
pulary visitors or of people who do business III
town but live in the suburbs, may a. easily
have been added in the Mayors count IN eager
ness 10 make the returns large. From the day
that count began every police officer was threat
ened BIZ certain newspapers with cenSure and
the disfavor of Tammany if he failed to make
ont q great excess over the census.
When all these facts have been duly weighed
there remains another of importance-that the
MAYOR does not consent to take the only far
mode of convincing the census officials, by
forwarding u Washington the schedule OF
names for comparison. BY such comparison,
with investigation of the discrepancies 1t could
he quickly determined whether the recount is
of any value as evidence. BY refusing Oppor-
tunty to test its accuracy the Mayor has dis
credited it in advance, and that refusal has
continued until it may no longer be possible
to make needful investigation without I'M
reasonably delaying the whole work of the
census
If there is to be an admission for New-York
of the great army of workers who come in from
the country in the fall, and the other increase
of population in four months the same will be
demanded by many other cities and is already
demanded by Philadelphia and baltimore. But
the law requires census of the inhabitants in
June. The multitude who were then working
and living in the country were in all probability
enumerated there. A recount for such cities Is
no longer possible without changing the date
of the entire enumeration, and taking it all
over. and there would be constitutional ques-
ton as to any apportonment based on an
enumeration not made at the regular decennial
date.