The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1890-12-30
InAI CENSUS.

EDitoR BULLETIN 49,
The National Reform party has
made sad mistake In appointing
that political failure OF the old Re-
form party, DIR. Rodgers, to the re-
sponsible position OF manager and
director OF the census Of 1890.
As soon as the learned doctors
plans for taking the census, presum-
ably supplemented by the congre-
gated ability of the Board Of Eduoa-
ton, we're fairly before the public
(if they can be said to have ever
been before the public) every practi-
cal man in the community saw the
census would be another dismal
failure, such as those following the
learned doctors political work have
always been. The great register,
costly failure though it was, is only
patching to the coming census
botch, which promises to be even
worse than Mr.. Porter's late job in
the United States.
1t has taken only a little private
enquiry TO learn that very few per-
sons have filled out the blanks pro-
perly, for the reason that such blanks
are not self-explanatory and, ex
cept the general explanation given by
the BULLETIN as an item of news, the
public has been left without any
other instruction in the matter.
am not speaking at haphazard,
but giving the practical result of per-
sonal enquiry. The blanks contain
ing no instructions as to what names
were to be filed into them, 1 find
that in three cases out of four all
members of the family were entered,
whether at Honolulu at the time or
on other islands or even in other
countries. If it turns out that our
most intelligent foreigners have fail
ed to understand and properly fill
out their blanks, what is to be ex-
pected of the average native, Portu-
guese and Chinese residing in the
kingdom?
1t is safe to conclude that if all the
blanks distributed (Which as far as /
can learn have been left without per-
sonal instructions from those deliver
ing them) have been filed out ac-
cording TO the clear demands of said
blanks, which certainly conflict with
the instructions published in the
BULLETIN, the census returns will be
largely In excess of the actual num-
Der of people, and will be entirely
misleading as statistical tables. The
most astonishing thing about the
whole matter is that the present Cabi.
net should appoint an incompetent
official and hanger-on Of the Reform
party to carry out this important
work.
One of the problems which the
learned doctor asks the average tax
payer to solve is, what the assessed
value of his real estate for 1890 is
Now, while most will remember the
amount of taxes paid, but few viii
remember, if they ever knew, what
their property was assessed at, un
less they are wealthy men, who al.
ways post themselves so as to fight
for reductions. The learned doctor
, has in nine cases out of ten, there
fore, asked the average taxpayer a.
to what percent his taxes are of al
unknown amount. 1t is not hare
, problem if the rate is remembered
but it is safe to say not one person il
ten will he able to give the correct re-
. turn without looking up the records
There are many other points in thi.
admirable bungle worthy of notice
which space will not permit. Jus
here light is wanted, as well as com
petent officials and genuine reform
ONE WHO HAS WREsTLEp.
IIaal..l.,