The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-10
CENSUS EVERY five YEARS,
Proposition for an Intermedi-
ate Enumeration by the
Municipality.
FEDERAL METHODS OBSOLETE.
The Subject to Be Considered by
the Manufacturers and Pro-
ducers' Association.

| Fred II. Dingle. assistant secretary OF
the Manufacturers and Producers Asso-
citation of California, thinks that San Fran
cisco should have census during 1895 or
! 1896, and he will bring the matter before
the board of directors within few days.
| Not having conversed with any member of
| the board relative to this subject Mr..
| Dingle has no predictions to made as to
the result If they favor it, however, he
| feels assured that a few. months will see
the successful launching of his pet scheme.
In an interview yesterday afternoon Mr..
Dingle stated his position in the matter as
| follows:
The Federal constitution provides for CEN
sus once in ten years. 1t must be apparent,
however, that this statistical matter gathered
by the Government of whatever class is almost
| entirely worthless five or six years after 1t Is
taken. For specific examples: "A man desires
comprehensive and valuable data relative TO
the commercial or manufacturing standing OF
San Francisco. His source of Information
would naturally be the last United States CEN
sus, which was compiled in 1890. Now would
Francisco of 1895 =? Take the matter of popu-
lation. the least important phase OF the ques-
ton, perhaps. Do the figures taken by the
Government five years ago indicate our popu-
lation of to-day The same discrepancy must
of necessity exist all the way through. To
deny this is to hold that we are not growing
at all.
The old census methods were all right at the
| time of their adoption and many years after.
No doubt they are still sufficient for some OF
the slew-going towns of New England and the
South, but for cities like San Francisco 1T is
! clear that they are totally inadequate.
Ny idea would be to have an ordinance
| passed by the Supervisors providing for the
taking of census once in ten years, the same
| to be intermediate between the enumerations
| taken by the Government. This would give US
| full and authoritative data regarding our de-
| VelODment nVe years.
| AS to the expense of the work, there would
| probably be considerable difference of opinion
| as to how it should be borne. But think this
could be arranged without much trouble. do
| not suppose the City would bear the total ex-
! pense; but there are certain departments OF
| the City government that are badly hand1-
| capped for the want of reliable statistics, and
certainly the municipality would do its share
| and the several City organizations now en-
| gagged in promoting the interests OF San Fran
cisco would undoubtedly have hand In the
| work.
! The proposed tables should be as compre-
| hensive possible, including every phase OF
| our development. / shall introduce this mat
| ter at the next meeting OF the directors and try
| to get them to take hold of 1t.
Mr.. Dingle's proposition was laid before
several well-known business and profess
sional men, who seemed favorably inn
| pressed with the idea, but asked time to
think the matter over before being quoted,
saying that the question was too big for an
offhand expression of opinion. With a
single exception they all expressed de-
sire to talk on the subject at future date,
and it is easy enough to predict Tor the
scheme many able advocates.