The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1909-04-02
QUESTION RAISED AS
TO WHICH CENSUS
Some Prefer National Count of 1900,
Others Would Take School Emu
meration-Another Faction Would
Take State statistician's Figures
Officials Make Reports.
TIMES BUREAU
AT STATE CAPITOL.

Indianapolis. Ind. April Some en-
terprising investigator has found that
law passed by the last session of the
legislature will increase the compen-
sation Of the secretary Of the county
board of health in each county and the
secretary of the city board of health
in each city of the state to very large
extent This is the law that fixed the
compensation of the secretary Of the
city board at 2 cents for each inhabi-
tant of the city and that of the score
tary of the county board at one and
one-half cents for each inhabitant of
the city.
This bill was introduced in the sen
ate by Senator Ranke. and originally,
II proposed to fix the pay of the eitv
secretaries at three and one half cents
and that of the county secretaries at
three cents. But before it was passed
the figures We're changed to one and
one-half and two cents
Means Increase All Around.
There are no figures at hand here ~
show just what increases will be made
in the pay of these officers in the yari
Gus cities and counties, but that it will
result in great increases is shown nv
the fact that at Clinton, Vermiilion
county, the secretary of the city board
of health now receives a salary of 5000
year, while under the new law his
pay will be boosted to S456 a wear
This one illustration came to light yes
terday, 1t is reasonable to expect that
II 1t works that way at Clinton it will
work in corresponding degree in all
other places. For instance. if Fort
Wayne has $4,000 inhabitants the see
rotary Of the city board of health will
receive 1920 year for his services
South Bend, with, say. $4,000, will pav
its secretary $1,000. The secretary in
Richmond. for instance, will receive AT
the same ratio, between $500 and $500
a year It is pointed out that this is
not bad pay for any physician who be-
comes city health officer. for the posi-
ton takes very little of his time in
any Of the cities of the state. The
only limitation made by the new law
Is that no secretary shall receive more
than $1,000 nor less than $40 a wear
for his services
On What Census Shall They Comuutes
But the state authorities are at
loss to know just how to compute the
population of the cities and the conn
ties In order to arrive at the amount
that shall be paid to the secretaries of
the boards of health Some are of the
opinion that they should base the
figures on the United States census of
1900 and use that basis until another
census is taken. Others believe the
method employed by the state stats
tlcIan In estimating population should
govern. The statistician takes the
number of school children shown by
the school enumeration and muItiplies
that figure by three and one-half and
the total thus obtained is accepted IS
the correct population.
Separate Question in Each County.
There are still others who favor the
use Of the United states government
method of arriving at conclusions in
such cases. The government takes the
population as shown by the 1900 cen
sus and the figures shown by the 1890
census. It finds the difference be-
tween the two. Then ii divides this
difference by ten (the number of years
from one census to another) The re-
number of years that have elansed
since the last census. This gives what
The government regards as a fairly ac-
surate estimate OF the population. 1t
$ likely. however, that each city or
county will haze to decide upon its own I
vas Of estimating the population be-
lore it can settle with the secretary
IF its board of health
State officials Make Reports.
The financial report Of the secretary
# state for the quarter Just ended 4
shows virtually double the amount Of
business transacted by that Office in
hat time. in comparison with the nre
'eding quarter. The total reeeints
mount to s31,54s.39, distributed as
ollows: From domestic corporations.
2o.75s.7o. foreign corporations. ss.2s1-
9; miscellaneous sources, s2,7s5.60:
motor vehicle registrations, 1871; court