The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-09-03

Get any Of the ext erienccsf men 10 do the work
However, the Stale census viii be . simple mat
ter. for the constitution provides only for an
enumeration of the population"
What do you think OF the English systemf
sit Is the best in the world. It could not be
applied to the whole of tits country. but the
count in the cities should be completed IN
twenfy-four hours. In the sparsely settled dis
tricts II should be completed IN q week by the
employment OF Q largely increased number of
encmerators the regu.ac census should be only
count OF the population That is al the con-
s'itufion provides Tor and il couli De done in
one-fhird OF the time occupied Dy the ceasusof
THIS year. The social statistics SHOULD be col
lected At another time and by . higher class OF
men, Almost any man is competent 10 merely
count the people, but is requires man OF skill
ana intelligence 70 collect The otaer statistics.
By our present system we cannot make an &C
curate eoui OF people who are travelling at the
time Tney were amply counted wherever
enumeration happened TO eaten them aud have
no doubt that thousands aud thousands OF peo-
pie were COUNTIES twice, though prsbably as
many were missed altogether. This might be OBJ
viated py having an enumerator ride over each
division OF q railroad 10 count the people on the
trains or require the railroads.&c. have passenger
hstmade By the conductor for this single oc-
casion. Those who are on board steamers
could be counted by securing the passenger
lists and lists OF the crew IRON the owners or
~-~--NS@ ~ hAAAo A&Shkltu tue CrAcuS COAAu u5
taken at one-fourth the cost OF the recent one,
and the complete figures could be made known
within month after the date Of the count
1nis would make 1t possible for congress to pass
the apportionmtns bill az the session in progress
at the time the census is taken
The apportionment VIII be difficult matter
In THIS STATE, on account OF the west having two
thirds OF the population. Washington will have
TWO representatives. and the east will expect to
nave one OF them. Yet the state cannot be
equally divided on the basis OF population
leaving the east all in one district. without
taeking on some OF the western COUNTIES. The
most likely ones will be the Coiumbia river tier,
skamaniar Cowlitz. Clarke and wahkakum but
t1ey would almost certainly object to being
thus tackled to tie east, as the east would be
sure TO dictate the nomination. The only way
can think of is to run the dividing line from
west to east, dividing both sections equally.
Bat then the west would have an ove-wnelm-
ing majority in both districts, and be in posi-
ton to secure both representatives This would
especially be the case If some question OF vital
interest TO the west were to the 'front.' The only
check on such greediness on the part of the
western representatives would be the danger
that the Democrats might take advantage OF the
consequent dissffection in the east to carry one
district The same di ficalty exists in the state
apporiionmene While the west has two-thirds
OF the population, and is therefore entitled to
that proportion of the representation, the east
now has representative for each county, and
viii oppose having its share reduced"