New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-22
THE POLICE CENSUS.

TIE POLICE CENSUS.
The census of Ncw-York which is about To he
taken bv the Police Department at the snG-
ceston Of the Board of Health Is well advised
The vital statistics of great city when lhey
have no surcr foundation than careful estimates
of the growth and distribution OF population
may have high value but at the best thcy UNI
vo;Gaby leave too large Il margin Tor error.
II is altogether worth while To eliminate chaice
from such calculations 80 far as possible WIFI
reasonable regard 10 cost ana lndlNlduai COM
fort \ biennial census. if taken in such man
ncr as 20 guarantee It's substantial ACCURACY
would not. il seems 10 us. be an unWarrah'ipie
intrusion and need not be serious expense
Machinery well adapted TO the purpose airc'u!
exists in the police force. No organization III
fact. could be called into existence al frequent
intervals which would be on the whole 80 'h"r-
ouchy equipped for the task as TINS perI''ilch'
organiZation composed of men mnulcE III
miliar with the city and accustomed To cNact
attention and obedience. Ii is only heceSS'r!
that the police engaging in this task should De
made 10 understand that absolute ildell'! Is
imporatiyc There was Il political purpose pe-
hind the last police census which caused II 10
be seriously distrusted justly or unJls'iE' i"'t
adverse condition will not affect the preSeht
undertaking. and if the popular demand lor III
honest and radical police REORGANIZATION laklhS
and keeping the department ont of politics. Is
Granted. full confidence will be put in cnumera-
tions by thc police hereafter. In that case IT IS
mn, innroboblc that such count will be deemed
advisable every year.
Tho rcuIlircmcnts of the Board of Health are
NOT the only. possibly not the chief, argument
in favor of a census at this time and at snort
intervals II has been wisely ordered that the
work shall include an enumeration of children
of school age. thus for this year and This city
accomplishing the object of the advocates OF
hill recently introduced in the Legislature. That
measure provides for biennial school census
in cities and towns Of this state containing
~ 600 Inhabitants or more We are not pre-
pared 10 say that law operating 50 extensive
IL is needed. but we have no hesitation in say
ing that a school census of NeW-l ork 'l'! anu
Rrool,lvn nj least. taken often aS once III
Two years is essential To- an efficient ana eco
nomicol administration of the schools. such Il
census is taken in Chicago. and Is there deemed
indisncnsable An annual school census Is
taken in Boston. and in the opinion "i Inc
Superintendent Of Public Schools IS The corner
stone" Of the compulsory education law. WIN
out IT," he says. 1T would be- very dlhcuIt ~
make a compulsory law compel by means 81
II the authorities ascertain where the growth
Of school population establishes or forecasts inc
need Of new schoolhouScS. and learn Ill that they
need To- know about nonattcndance ana me
ro,sons for H. The result is that very few
children between the ages Of eight ana iour-
teen escape complying with the compulsory
attendance law during \ year ana probably
none escape altogether
That New York is far behind Tins record j
one Of the certain and serious facts Of the ln'
II is universally conceded that there Is not near
IL enough room in our schools for the chil"r'h
Of school age and the city has been authorized
10 cxpend S50o00o0 10 supply tho deficiency
Eut how great the deficiency is and whore IN
detail. II is most seriously felt nobody knows.
Estimates Of the additional sit'insS required
vary from 10000 - 10000. While Such is
the state Of knowledge. or rather Of ignorance,
rs 70 the very basis Of the demand for an i'm
mcnsc expenditure. the impos>biy If direct
ing that expenditure wisely must bc Obvious 10
every sensible person. II the police census
about 10 begin Is thoroughly taken, IL VIII sup
plv in great part the information which Is need
cd at this time. But similar necessity VIII
continually develop and should be methodicaIiy
met. For this purpose something more * essen
,al than the voluntary cooperation Of nunlc-
ipal Departments There ought 10 be law en-
Joining census for school purposes N regular
and frequent intervals, but IL need not b" To-
sirctcd 10 that one element In the population
Following mp the public meeting held IN Jahu.
arv. the National League for the Protection 81
American Institutions has published a pam
phlct on this subject, expressing The views "l
various civic organizations and numerous intlu-
entail citizens who unite in support of the bill
10 which we have referred They think that a
biennial census would serve The purpose, or per
haps hesitate 10 ask for census every year
|. happens that the Board Of Health for lis own
purposes is about 10 obtain an enumeration.
But as we have sail, the present necessity VIII
regularly rccur Why should ii not he regularly
supplicd? 4 uniform law for the State apply
ing 10 cities Of comparatively small population
NAV not be essential But Ncw-lorE and
BROOKLYN nj least. cannot afford longer 10 go
it blind in matters Of health ana education.
JTGGLING WIN 4 PHRASF.