Smyrna times., 1901-07-10

THE census just completed under
State authority in Maryland says the
New York Tribune, falls signally to
sustain the wholesale charges of parti-
san manipulation which have been
brought for a year past in that COM
monwealth against the Federal enum-
Grafton of 1900. The Federal census
takers, it was contended last winter by
the Democratic State machine, had en-
tered into conspiracy to pad the pop
ulation returns in known Republican
counties, while denying to known
Democratic counties legitimate or
natural growth. Acting on the theory
that grave injustice would be done to
Democratic interests by any reappoint-
ment or representation in the House
of Delegates under fraudulent Federal
census, the Democratic managers
forced last winter an extra session of
the legislature, at which a new euum-
Grafton was ordered to govern the pros
pective reallotment of seats in the
lower legislature branch. The results
of the State census have now been an
nounced, and it 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
ot4onfiOO Of Rbo Eo1 o,o1 o,,&bo~;R;oa
had already been called to the padding
% o. jiss1sus returns, and prosecutions
were 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 coun-
ties material discrepancies between
State and Federal figures would ap-
pear. In only one of them, however,
does the margin af 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 we're added to this
coUnty's population in July, 1900, who
had not arrived for their brief working
season in May, 1901, it may easily be
taken for granted that the discrepancy
now disclosed was not due wholly ol
mainly to partisan fraud. The popula
ton of the State as a whole is founC
by the second army of enumerators tC
be about II, 900 below the total an.
nOunced last year by the Federal emu
merators received fixed sum for eacl
name reported, and the State ennmer
ators were paid by the day for theil
labors, it is easy to imagine as the Bal
timore San suggests, that the Stat,
agents, having no special inducemen
to collect all available names, did no
return the fullest possible roll of tn,
States population.
Only trifing readjustment of rep
reseutation in the House of Delegates
will result from the later census. B.
virtue of the Federal enumeration
seven counties gained seats in the
lower branch of the legislature. Thes
were Anne Arundel, Charles, Kent
Montgomery, Prince Georges, 81
Mary's and Washington. All thes
but Montgomery and Kent are usual
Republican. Under the State censu
anne Arundel, Kent, Charles and 81
--ary's fall a few hundreds in populs
ton below the limit set for additions
membership. Dorchester, however
gains a Delegate; so that four ne
seats will have to be distributed. {
these one will go to a Democrat
county, Montgomery; one to deba
able one, Dorchester, aud two to no
mally Republican ones.