The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-06-16
SOME OF THE ENUMERAToRs
MAKE RETURNS.
Information as to Population viii Have
to Come From Washington Under the
Law-The Conditions.

The census enumeration of Honolulu
Is nearing completion. Several of the
enumerators made their returns yester-
day and several more are expected to
do so today. The time within which it
was expected to complete il expired
yesterday, but SO many holidays inter-
vened during the census taking time,
on which the enumerators found so
many people away from home, that it
was impossible in all cases to get the
work done.
AS to what the census will show Ho-
nolulu's population to be, is a question
which can only be answered by the
Census Bureau at Washington. Ten
years ago so many cities in the States
were disappointed that the census re-
turns did not come up to the inflated
figures their civic pride had fixed on
to make them bigger than their rivals.
that great deal of acrimonious con-
troversy followed, and a great deal of
undeserved fault was found with those
who took the census, and efforts were
made to have the census of certain
cities taken over again, resulting in de-
lay in the tabulation and publication of
the census returns.
To avoid this in the twelfth census,
the law provides that enumerators are
not to give out any information what
ever to the public. The information
will be given out through the census
buIGdu % lndl All SDeCuldllOnS as 10
what the population of Honolulu will be
shown to be will merely be the judg-
ment of the men who make them, pend
| ing the official announcement
At the time the Citizens Sanitary
Committee made it's census of the Judi
cial District of Honolulu last February,
| Special Agent Alatau II. Atkinson
| pointed out that the federal census
would in all probability show a small
\ er number. This judgment he based
| on the different object in view in the
/ taking of the two enumerations, and
also the different methods used in
taking it. The object of the Citizens
Committee was to obtain the number
| of people actually in the district at
the time, irrespective of the legal resi-
dence of the individuals. The methods
used were such that it was morally GER
tain there would be many Implications,
/ and this fact the committee fully re-
cognized and frankly admitted.
The object of the federal census is to
show the number having a legal resi-
dence here, and not the number of in
dividuals actually here during the time
of the enumeration. The method neces-
sarily employed eliminates, practically,
the possibility of Implications, though,
unavoidably there will be some omis-
l.sions. So, Mr.. Atkinson stated very
! positively at the time that the federal
census would in his judgment not show
| as many as the Committees enumera-
tion, even though they had been taken
under the same conditions.
But conditions have changed. Many
of the Chinese, Japanese and some of
! the Hawaiians who were burned out in
Chinatown have gone to other districts.
During the quarantine period there was
quite an exodus to the states of white
mechanics and artisans. and others who
/ had come here as tourists with the eX-
pectation of remaining If they found
employment. So that it is pretty GER
tain there are not as many individuals
actually here now as there was when
the Committees enumeration was
made.
Special Agent George Bigelow who
has had the immediate charge of the
census of Honolulu says that on the
whole as many difficulties were not eX-
perienced as it was feared there would
be.
There have been difficulties exper-
fenced with individuals of every ma
tionality, more perhaps with Hawaiians
than with any other. Some of the Ha-
waiians refused point blank to answer
the questions, though no particular rea-
son could be given. But in most of
these cases another visit of the emu
merator in company with some well
known person who explained the pur-
pose of the questions, answers to the
questions were secured. The Chinese
answered all questions willingly except
those relating to their property. How
ever, in very few cases among them,
was there any serious difficulty Some
of the most annoying experiences met
by the enumerators have been among
the white population, and even among
Americans.
There is abundant power given by the
law to the census officials to compel
answers to the questions prepared by
the census department but it is de-
ly necessary, and it is believed it will
not be necessary.