The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-09-07
CANTON's CENSUS.

Canton, as given out from Washington
Wednesday, are fraud on their face
There isn't a figure in the entire report
that is compatible with the showing
made by the school enumeration, the
municipal vote, the mail service nor
any branch of business in the city
There was much indignation in Canton
among business men and loyal Canto-
mans generally, when the News-Demo-
crat gave the detailed report of the emu
meration by precincts. The residents
of various precincts could do little
figuring for themselves and many in
sisted that the returns were simply
preposterous.
Take, for instance, the vote Of 1892.
That was the year that the police CEN
sus was taken-and there has never
been a question raised as to that CEN
sus. Instructions were given that
there should be no padding. 1t was de-
sired to know just how many people
there were in the city. The census
showed over $4,000. Now, as suggested,
let us look at the vote of that year.
In the city Of Canton, in 1892, there
were 6,652 votes cast. Now, that was a
presidential year, and the vote Is usu-
ally largest in a presidential campaign.
In the presidential year, 1885, the vote
was 1907. That was gain Of nearly a
thousand, and at any calculation would
indicate that there were four thousand
more people in Canton in 1896 than in
1892. Yet here comes along the federal
census and says that the population Is
1000 less than in 1892 and 5000 less than
in 1896 Now 1t is pertinent to inquire
what caused the slump since 1896, dur
ing the regime of fellow townsman.
Hasn't Canton prospered? 1t is claimed
so. Doesn't the school census show
that there are more school children
than in 1896 when the population was
at least $4,000? Have only the children
lived since then and the old folks died
off? The increase in school children in
the last ten years is almost sufficient
to beat the census return as given out
from Washington. There is only one
way to look at the condition that con-
fronts Canton at this time. Either the
city has retrograded under the benign
administration of it's distinguished fel- |
low townsman or the census report isn't |
worth the paper that it is printed on. |
Canton has gone forward, not be-
cause Of but in spite of any condition
that might be attributed to national
causes. There isn't a house in town
that is fit to live in at all that is not oc-
cupied. That was not true in 1892,
when we had a population of ov $4,000.
More houses are standing today than
there were in the city then. What has
become of the people? Where did the
census enumerators hide them? Is 1t
claimed that the town Is made up OF
unprolific bachelors and barren maiden
ladies? Or have six thousand people
moved out of town. II they have moved
why aren't the houses they occupied
available? How does 1t come that they
are out of their houses and still In
them? What kind of mental contor-
ton does a fellow have to go through
to follow the orbit of evolution tra-
yersed by the census taker? Where
does he put fellow when he takes him
away and still leaves him where he is?
What process of addition do they en-
ploy in their subtraction? Do they
multiply by short or long division?
Either everybody that took statistics
on other matters made colossal blund-
ers or the census enumerators did.
The Judges of elections must have per-
mitted lot of repeating at the polls.
and the school census taker went pros
pecting from the marriage Incense rec
ords.
There is something wrong somewhere,
and let US see If we cannot at least get
a suspicion of a line on it.
Under what auspices were the census
enumerators for Canton appointed?
The answer to that question is going
to come very close to furnishing the
cause for the effect.
A census supervisor was appointed
for the Eighteenth congressional dis
trict. The supervisor, who, in this in
stance was w. NJ. Hostetter, Of Lisbon,
was recommended by the congressman
from the Eighteenth district, the Hon
orable Robert w. Tayler, also OF LIS
bon. In turn the census supervisor,
with tuc VI q hS" ouooSSsSASb
named the enumerators.
Who were named for Canton? The
list will be found elsewhere In this
issue.
Who are they?
Good citizens, no doubt.
What il their politics?
All Republicans,
Were they appointed because Of any
pronounced degree of fitness for the
work?
Not that appears on the surface.
Could not Democrat or two have
been found somewhere in some Of the
wards?
The supervisor was not looking for
Democrats. and 1t appears that this no.
ton prevailed with the enumerators.