Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-04-23
Brigadisr General Carter Likely to Be Sent
to Department Of the Missouri.
GENERAL SHIFTING OF THE ASSIGNMENTS
Director North Of the Census bureau
Makes an Explanation of His
Estinates Regarding Ne
braska Population.
fFrom a stnff CorrespondentO

4
mcnt OF the Lakes and the Departments Of
the Missouri and Dakota; the Southwest
ern division, embracing the Departments Of
/ Texas and Colorado; the Pacific division
/ embracing the Departments of California
1 and Columbia, and the Philippine division,
embracing the Departments OF Luzon, Vi
sayas and Mindanao, there will be shak-
ing up all around in the several depart
ments which will be retained as now
/ In all probability Brigader General Will
/ liam H. Carter, now in command Of the
! Department Of the Lakes, will be assigned
20 the command OF the Department OF the
Missouri, with headquarters at Omaha,
While army officials were reticent today
regarding General Carter's assignment TO
the Department Of the Missouri, they could
not deny that It was extremely probable
in view of the fact that he is known TO
have asked for the assignment Then'
again, II is generally understood Major
! General Frederick ID. Grant, now In COM
mand of the Department of the East will
/ be transferred to the Department OF the
| Lakes, it being the wish Of General Grant
to 90 back TO his wife's shome-Chicago-and
there reside upon his retirement AS there
is vacancy in the Department OF the
Missouri caused by the death Of General
! wint II would seem but natural that
! General Carter should be given the billet
which he desires
General Leonard Wood is slated for ccm-
mand Of the Department of the East, with
| headquarters at Governors island, on the
transfer of General Grant to the Depart
ment Of the Lakes. There are three great
departments in the army-Department OF
the East with headquarters in New YORK;
Department OF the Lakes, with headquar-
ters at Chicago. and the Department OF
California, with headquarters at San Fran
CISCO These three important departments
will be commanded by Major Generals
Wood, in the first instance Grant In the
second and Funston. who attains the rank
OF major general in the very near future.
with these assignments pretty thoroughly
understood other departments OF the army
will be commanded by brigadier generals
or, should an occasional major general or
two turn up he will take pot luck with
the Junior officers in assignment to depart
mental commands.
Two Briga diers TO Retire.
Brigadier General william s. McCaskey,
now In command of the Department OF
Dalrota ia due TO retire October 2, 1907,
when he win reach the age OF 64. Brisa-
dier General Constant Williams now In
| command OF lle DSpoi NiiiSii' -
retires May 25, 1907.
North ExpIaInE His Figures
Director North Of the bureau OF census
was today shown an editorial in The
omaha Bee of April 49, wherein the census
bureau is severely criticised for estimates
OF the population for the year 1905, as
compared with the census figures Of 1900,
especially as it relates to Nebraska. After
a careful reading OF the editorial Direc-
tor North authorized the following state
ment:
'I have examined the statement made
IN The Omaha Daily Bee OF April 10, In
regard to the census bureaus estimate
Of population for the state OF Nebraska
for 1906 and note that II criticises us for
not estimating the total population Of the
state in 1890 instead of using the federal
census for that year. Il is a well known
fact that the eleventh census was padded
TO an extent that we cannot compute or
even guess at estimates going all the way
from 1900 to 3OOOOO but II is impractical
BILE for us to alter the 1890 census figures
for the state of Nebraska as it would
unset all estimates OF the United States
based on results of the eleventh and
twelfth census, which are the only figures
we have, and. until the thirteenth census
is taken will be obliged to continue to
use the 1890 and 1900 census figures.
south Omaha Not Changed.
your statement that the census bureau
has corrected the 1890 figures for Omaha,
Lincoln and South Omaha is slightly In
error. as the figures for South Omaha were
not changed We did, however make an
estimate of the population Of Lincoln and
Omaha, based on the census OF 1880 and 1900,
| 1aaa he
do not believe, however. that Omaha had
Sc 636 people in 1890 and that Lincoln should
have been credited with 26.5s8 In order,
however, to make the figures check, It
was necessary that the total estimated
population OF the state should be equal to
that of the cities plus the rural districts.
An estimate Of the population Of the state
OF Nebraska, based on the tenth and
eleventh censuses, would probably be far
from the truth as II would show but 1851
or SO3 sO5 less than the number returned by
the census enumerators. can hardly
| agree with the statement that the census
OF Nebraska was padded 10 the extent of
300 900 at the census Of 1890, you will
note, that the increase for the state Of
Kansas during that decade was only 1881,
or per cent and, assuming the percentage
OF increase would have been the same in
Nebraska, the gain would have been 1850
IT would also call your attention 70 the
fact that from 1890 10 1900, thirty-five coun-
ties In Nebraska, many OF them In the
western part, decreased IN population.
While some Of these decreases were due 20
padding in 1890, do not believe II was all
caused by fraudulent work. The conditions
that have caused loss OF population 10 the
state OF Iowa and part OF Minnesota have
undoubtedly affected 10 some degree the
growth OF population in Nebraska.
''The cities in Iowa, in fve years from
1900 to 1875. increased 49, 4s2, while the state
showed a decrease Of q .s03; consequently,
the rural districts must have decreased In
five years at least O2s5. so that It is not
impossible for the rural districts OF Ne
braska 70 have decreased in population
3S 900 since 1900.
'The fraudulent work done be enumera-
tors Of 1890 has been great cause OF en-
barrassment 20 this once and, while / am
aware that bad work was done, I cannot
make any estimate that will allow for the
fictitious returns made at the eleventh
census. / am sorry the state did not avan
itself Of the provision IN its constitution,
under which II could have taken a census
In 1906 and thus corrected, 20 a certain