Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-04-28

must be overccme by the census Of
tlce which are only fully realized by
those in charge, of the work, Legal
questions continually arise. AS sam
pie of the troublesome problems to be
solved take the Indian census, which
fairly bristles with legal difficulties.
In 1890 the census law provided that
a special report" upon the Indians
should be made. a volume of seven
hundred odd pages was published, pro-
jrsely illustrated and touching every
point of the Indian problem. For once
in history "Poor Lo' was accorded JUS
tice. The volume was SO pretty that
the edition was soon exhausted, and
now the department of the interior has
not even copy for the census office it.
self. But the law providip8sfor the
twelfth census makes 10 special proyl-
sion for an Indian census, nor does it
authorize such report as was made
ten years ago. II IS mt this point that
the real difficulties of the census office
regarding the Indians begin.
The Indian population. then, cannot
be treated by itself and described in q
separate report. 1t also seems illogical
to class the Indians among the ordi-
nary population of the United States.
The Indian tribe Is In many respects
distinct nationality, although since
1871 congress has bean doing its best
to destroy all traces Of tribal indeoeni-
ence or self government. Moreover.
the tribal Indians are not citizens Of
the United States. The reservations
upon which they live are not legally
parts of the state or territory which
surrounds them, and state aud territo-
rial laws do not apply to the rsserva-
tion or to the Indians upcn II. Acts cf
congress do not apply 20 reservation
Indians unless such application is eS-
plicltly authorized in the act.
Under such conditions ic seems .m-
possible for the census Office TO class
Indians as a part Of the ordinary in
habitants of the states and territories.
On the other hand, 1t is equally impos-
sible to ignore them and omit them en-
tirely, for the constitution of the Unit
ed States says that Representatives
shall be apportloned among the sever
al states according to their respective
numbers. counting the whole number
of persons In each state, excluding In
dinns not taxed"
All these points are subjected TO the
most careful examination in the CEN
sus office, aud when decision as 10
the legal obligation Of the office has
been reached the statisticians turn
their attention TO the economic and So
cial aspects of the question in hand.
Experts are consulted. the important
lines of investigation are mapped out,
and inquiries are so framed as to bring
out the desired information in form
in which il can be handled with the
Hollerith machines. At the same time
these questions must be put in such a
way that they will neither be misun-
derstood nor likely TO evoke antago-
nlsm or false replies, No pains are
spared to interest the public in the
work and to secure general and hearty
cooperation. Without that the most
careful work at Washington or by the
epumeratofs must prove frultless.
The census Office at Washington has
not q monopoly Of the difficulties in the
work of enpmeratlng Many of the
10000 enumerators, who will be placed
! under time limit not exceeding n