New-York tribune., 1901-07-05
MARYLAND'S NEW CENSUS.

The census just completed under State
thority in Maryland fails signally to sustain
the wholesale charges of partisan manipulation
which have been brought for q year past in that
commonwealth against the Federal enumera-
ton of 1900 The Federal census takers, it was
contended last winter by the Democratic State
machine had entered into a conspiracy TO pad
the population returns in known Republican
counties. while denying TO known Democratic
counties any Legitimate or natural growth. Act
ing on the theory that grave injustice would be
done to Democratic interests by any reappor
tionment of representation in the House of
Delegates under q fraudulent Federal census,
the Democratic managers forced last winter
an extra session of the legislature at which
new enumeration ordered. TO govern the
| prospective reallotment of seats in the lower
| legislative branch. The results of the State
census have now been announced. and il will be
confessed by any impartial critic that in the
main they only establish the integrity of the
original count.
In two counties in Southern Maryland-St.
Mary's and Anne Arundel-the attention of the
Federal authorities had already been called to
the padding of returns. and prosecu-
tons We're begun in the Federal courts against
several offending enumerators long before the
results of the new State census could be known.
1t was TO be expected that in these two
ties material discrepancies between State and
Federal figures would appear. In only one of
them, however, does the margin of difference
turn out to be really material, Anne Arundel
having 5,21S more inhabitants under the first
count than under the second But as many
hundreds of transient berry pickers were added
TO this countys population in July, 1900 who
had not arrived for their brief working season
in May 1901 II may easily be taken for granted
that the discrepancy now disclosed was not due
wholly or mainly to partisan fraud. The popu-
lation of the State whole is found by the
second army of enumerators to be about II 900
below the total announced last year by the
Federal authorities But as the Federal emu
merators received fixed sum for each name
ported, and the State enumerators were paid
by the day for their abors, it is easy TO i'm
agine. as The Baltimore SUM- suggests, that
the State agents having special nducement
to collect all available names, did not return
the fullest possible roll of the States popu-
laton.
Only trifiing readjustment of representa-
ton in the House OF Delegates will result
from the later census. BY virtue of the Federal
enumeration seven counties gained seats in the
lower branch Of the Legislature. These
Anne Arundel, Charles, Kent, Montgomery.
Prince Georges. St Mary's and Washington.
All THESE but montgomery ana heht are usu-
ally Republican. Under the State census Anne
Arundel. Kent Charles and St. Mary's fall
few hundreds in population below the limit set
for additional membership. Dorchester, how
ever. gains Delegate; so that four seats
viii have TO be distributed. OF these one will
go TO a Democratic county. Montgomery; one
to debatable one, Dorchester and two to
normally Republican ores, Washington and
Prince Georges. Under the new census It will
therefore be practically rs difficult as ever for
the Democratic machine to capture this fall
that legislative majority through which it hopes