New-York tribune., 1891-10-17
THE ATTACKS ON The CENSUS.
SUPERINTENDENT PORTER BEFORE THE AMEN-
CAN STATISTICAL ASSOCIATION.

CAN sTATIsT ASSOCIATION
poston Oct 1s-Having been invited by the Ameri-
can Statistical Association to prepare paper upon
the Organization Administration and Results Oh 'ho
Eleventh Census Superintendent Porter delivered an
address before that body this evening" In the course o
which he said: ,., .,
the United States has compera and the Nation mas
r,d n It's twelfth decade Of progress with the usual COM
nant that the increase should have been greater o NC
cade ending 1890 and 1897 have been omhous ohe' M
officials in charge Of work. both at home ana
the Canadian Parliament trying to overthrow the oVefh
because the increase In population was only IA per %
FnoI,shmen grumbllng the population fell Hhoh
short OF their antcpaons; Frenchmen alarmed oecsuo
the numerical strength OF the Republic did not meet e
expectations, and your own superintendent p
natroc cuessers because the actual coun' fel coupe
~ millions short OF their estimates, should MINK sc
examples enough chill the blood OF ouodng s.aes
and induce you veterans, who Ike the einhehs pic M
Of this association and my able predecessor nave oc
through sieges OF this sort to extend their
commseraton TO one who has happily passed through
tbeso trbulattons and still lives. LOOKING oacA %
night on the past see two years Oh w.
most stpendous work, which taxed every ioe" oi
and mental strength. Harassed on one siee
ro ,or ecnloy1nent and on the other by unreason-
inc and oftentimes ignorant and malicious crucisn'
tuned all the time by wel-meanins specianses, so'
o extend their particular inquiry without csar W
wort together with the usual labor and Vexsuoh HAs
80, ,ho nl.cino and handling Of 10000 persons (for
that number took part In one form or another IA u0
rrth Census, the Superintendent Of the United STATES
C.nsrs 10 Ikely 10 experience many and varied sensa
ons during the brief intervals OF his decennia puo
annearance 1t be that the missiles are sen' i~'
and thick because soun is brief, while otner Our@u
hfs are always with but certainly the puoc insef
o.t. have not suffered lack OF enterprise on ne
mart OF the public press to expose the alleged efor'
and socaled .fraudsr Of the Eleventh Census
No one understands better than you, gentefheh ho"
aasv e. Is To assault great work like the census; Du1 as
souIt is one thing and criticism Is another In tne nrs
Mace we had to gather together and drill vast army Oh
raw recruits. or course some OF tnem diu pao "o'H
H. c,d I. he othefwrsei General Walker will tell you
the same was true the Tenth census census "lsnouU
error Is an mpossiby Especially is this true under he
ose, svsem Of overloaded schedules and temporary or
gonization. When completed, the Eleventh Census WIZ
80 NO, lass than twenty-five quarto volumes OF 1000
napcs each The amount Of detail covered by thess
,ros is stnpendous; the history OF eS,o0oooo people
including Indians and Aaskans separately trcateo''
would IL be surprising, therefore, people did hno
, rrors in the census with microscopesl IL the same
taa NJ faunnding and carpng over minor errors laSy
ing and interviewing discharged Clerks anu TWISTING ~
,ocs generally that been applied TO the EeVeh'n
Census were applied the Encyclopedia Brtanhca or A
,o,,s, Encycopedla untold complaints could be lodged
And why4 statistics or no hohes' sa'emen
of fact sufficiently simple to be exact for the en''re l
M no sufficient for wants OF local boomers popu'
aton manufacturer mineral resources or the heraos OIL
our crops. . :. ,.,oo
In conclusion Mr.. Porter said that in accordance
with resolution Of the Senate he Is preparing repor.
rd hin for n ptrmanent Census Bureau, which VIII
remedy much of the decennia census trouble and put
a great public work on a business oasls'