Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-11
TALK ABOUT THE CENSUS.
Superintendent Porter Denies . Published
Statement.

The attention Of Superintendent Porter hav-
ing been called to a published statement that
| a night force in the census Office is engaged in
comparing the so-called schedules Of the police
count OF the population Of New York city with
the schedules returned by the federal emu
merators he said: This is pure invention.
In the first place it is impossible, because,
with the exception of two books containing the
names found by the police in October count in
the second ward and a book containing few
hundred names in one other district, the GEN.
sns ONCE has never seen these alleged returns
Oh the police, and, hence, any comparison
would be a physical impossibility: 1t is
doubtful if the police schedules could be used
Tor purposes of comparison. As y matter of
fact, the returns of population of New York
city nave never been made by the police to either
the census Office or the House committee for the
9fI police districts, and all that was presented
10 the committee was grand total. without any
details, and 1t was considered necessary by
those representing the city tn bring affidavit to
prove that this total had been added up
correctly, when "a presentation of the
statistics by police districts would have demon
strated that fact beyond any possibility of aues-
ton. am as thoroughly satisfied now that the
census OF New York was correct census of
that city on the first day of June rs have ever
been. and as firmly of the opinion that the
opening up of this question would lead TO gen.
dissatisfied cities all over the country for re-
count"
TOTAL POPULATION CO. COZ. 600.
When asked AZ to the total population, in
Gliding whites and Indians on reservations, Mr.
Porter said that the census Office now has the
names of something like 3l5 900 Indians, in
cinding whites in the Indian territory, which.
with the estimated population of Alaska, will
probably bring up the total population Of the
FRY 10 I.
way, he said, between the estimate made by
the Hon. s. S. Cox, who, in his speech on
the census bill of 1889. said the
population might be rs little as G., OOO, 900 and
might reach 81 ,OOO.O These results also ac-
cord with the estimate of the population of the
III the Atlantic Monthly of October. 1873, in
which he says in speaking of the probable pop
ulation In 1900 tho best probable good fortune
Will hardly carry the population of the country
beyond $1,000. OO0 by TIC close of the century.
sEvENTy-srvES MILLION IN 1900.
CAS- q matter of fact" he continued, ''the re-
sultssof the eleventh census show a right to ex-
pcct population in 1900 of seycnty-seven pos
sibly of seventy-nine millions, instead of only
seventy-five millions. as estimated in 1873 by
Gen. Walker Should the population during
tne next ten years increase in the same percent
age as 1t has in the decade ending June /, 1880.
1T viii reach about scvcnty-eight mil
lions. If the population in 1890 only reaches
the estimate made by Gen. Walker the percent
age of increase during the next decade will not
only be less, but the numerical increase will he
less. An increase of 1917 per cent during the
next ten years would make the population ex-
actly what Gen. Walker estimated it would be
in 1890. whereas the increase during the last
decade has been rs per cent.
''lhoec partiSans who are frantically attack
ing the eleventh census because it did not reach
G4.G00.OG9 show that they are utterly ignorant
of the estima ties of conservative statisticians
who have reflected on this problem in all its
various bearings. 1t might be well for those
few prejudiced persons who are bowling about
two millions being missed in the census to read
some utterances OF such an able statisticiau Us
Gen. Walker