New-York tribune., 1891-10-14
THE COST or THE CENSUS.
SUPERINTENDENT PORTER REPLIES ~
CRITICISMS OF @. THE HERALD"
SHOWING THAT THE TOTAL EXPENSE WILL BE
NO GREATER THAN A NATURAL INCREASE
WOULD MAKE 1T PREPOSTER0US
STATEMENTS ABOUT MACHINES.
fBY TELEGRAPH 10 THE TkIBUSEI


tBY TELEGRAPH THE TkIBUSE.I
Washington, oct. 13.-Superintendent Porter n"'
handed to a Tribune correspondent the following
stotement about the cost OF the Eleventh Census,
in reuIv 70 certain criticisms in "Tha Newlork Herald
OF yesterday , 49,,
The lierad' of to-day says I" It will take foar t6
or hye wear, to complete the work. eA2tct 70
Inisb il All and have 1t ready for the printer by the
oios2 rbn Jicrd- SAWS that have asked Congress to
annrnnCiate TWO or thee million dollars more, ana
win tlat can get tn WORK ABOUT hdlt dohe, dS ny
49, nort IN t6e secretary OF the Interior, accesSlD
n all pewsoapes asns for ~, 100000 to complete All
the worn, Including the inquiry lehuH5 " d y nj 1g
Indebtedness, when was an extra lIqiS th censiis
ended I'm the original appropriation Tor IN tenseS;
Thi * all that will be necessary. Inc HetaI No
says he" the superntend mt OF Census mas o,U0HH
ne owes S.]75,tOO, and has not paid cent. ooo
Instead OF 200. these machnes coSe
and tbe Cen,us once does not owe cent on Jhenicc
a The Herald saws the superintendent has l-o Vi
the larger machines on which ne owes yea "a 900
half ren which at ri 900 year would he Sloo,VoV,
mahlng the total Indebtedness OF the bureau vi SN & ~
machines 800, 900, and neither CONTRACT noT
ON file i'm tie Treasury Department 10 SNOW 'c ,bis
1he total indebtedness of the Census once lor r 1s
nuruose Instead OF being $3.50 900 as stated by
Herald Is not S oee aoiST sRm is prepoSterous il every
machine contracted for was USED l)r an ILL s=9 o0o
at full rental the total cost spe sTG nor S used we do not
nav for them These same machines are oemg G usSu
by the Canadian Government ana tH the same
ernment, and they are paying s snDs'aly'iN v '''
rent for them as the Census once payS, ,eso COS,
The Herald" says mat the census VI ,ha C.nsrs
"a 600 600: the appropriations SHOW tlit Vhe
~ IsS;I exclusive of printing, binding ana
cost 81 1888 800 and the printing Dlighs @aS aSo n,
La rnt NJ The Census Of $780, including prinung
bindno and engraving The Herald" says the zen cen
sus has already cost One-thrd more thah tle s,,
~ 1se0 Tine appropriations thus far for the ceiisns
proper exclusive Of printing binding anu 600 o0
have heen 1G,4OOO00; Of this amount AT ieasi
has been expended for inquiries required by the p.ee
Census act which we're not required Dy rnnded so
suses and about 100000 remains uneApeiuete. 81
as matter of fact the present census, Iiste ono
having already cost, The Herlid e oGo 0oo
ird more tba1 tine Census of 1660, has cost 80 0oooU
or about ~ 100000 more than tae census n V or de-
35 cents per capita, against OOo Ill i9oV VI ~ " in
creased aGomt - per cent. The cost of the fe'enn
| Cen.uS down 10 this time, instead OF beins one }
9I bT nRe ae lei than the total cost Of the Census
1850 would have been had the same number o PUPU @ n
tion been enumerated. continuous, prcere1ssn0 CON
hanccment of the per capita coSI vi % SUI &c onnmera
uses is to be expected. even if the scope OF euneI
lion is in no degree widened. by reason oi bG oo
tiDnoIIy aypanding detail into which the tradiuona
Eases Of Statistics will Invariably be drawn uhde
The ever growing popular demand for local and III mlnu @
information The increase from l9lo 10 or h0PU % in
csraSe for The last decade. the cost OF the preen
census exclusive of printing, binding ana engsVlns
| and of the additional inquiries required Dy ConSIce
and appropriated for separately, shouu De aoou an
| S6 ZOO O6OO-and | expect 10 complete the census an
have 1t ready the printer for less tan tat Iei
Any statement TO the contrary Is lase ana &
| :. Tle Herald SAYS "The census Appropriation ia
all been SPENT: which is not true Ihere Is 10 til
credit Of the several census funds Ss5o.ooV so o
! accounts of the Office all paid to date Inc ON
hills due are such rs are i'm transit or nave not pee
presented have sufficient money to continue an u
necessary work until such tlne a. CohSIe>s may i""
The Statement that the charge that the SuperiI
! edent interested in any way, direct OF ihutec %
I'm the punching machines had never been denied snow
the venom of The Herald article. 1t has been denle
| TO n correspondent of that paper. and IS now agal
denied and denounced as malicious Noel ana lals