The Daily Missoulian., 1910-11-21

THE MISSOEEIA.
was conducted by an expert special
agent sent from Washington but the
supervisor of the census for this dis
trict also participated. The correct
number of inhabitants was ascertained
by an entire enumeration OF the
three districts in question. The results
We're as follows:
- District -
IS % 80
Original enumeration. .4,679 5.427 3.219
RECOMMENDATION .1.1o1 1,602 2,l96
The Great Falls Tribune presents the
opposite side of the case in the follow
ing editorial brief:
THE population of Great Falls, as
announced by the census bureau at
Washington, is something of a joke. 1t
is So far from the real figures that no
one who knows the city at all can ac-
cept for a moment the enumeration as
anywhere near representing the num-
Der of people who reside here. Locally
the figures We're received with a laugh
at their absurdity and sneer at the
efficiency of a census bureau which
would arrive at any such conclusion
with respect to the number of people
here.
But while the figures are laughed at
they may do a very real injury to
Great Falls. They will go out all over
this country in this mornings papers,
and readers will be told that during
the last 10 years Great Falls, Mont,
has decreased in population. Every
body who knows anything of the facts
knows that this city has nearly
doubled in population during the last
10 years, but the census bureau figures
will show quite the reverse. and under
the present conditions the people of
Great Fails are almost helpless to pre-
vent this false impression of the city
ITO see how absolutely absurd is this
announced population one has but to
know certain other figures in regard
to our population which are absolute
ly beyond dispute. For instance, in
the election last week there We're 1908
votes cast in the city precincts. The
registration for these precincts was
Bill, but as usual there was quite a
falling Off in the vote from the regis
tration. The Tribune has taken the
vote of number of cities, the popula-
tion of which had already been an
nOunced by the census bureau, and it
/ finds that the proportion of population
to votes varies from slightly above six
to Slightly above seven to one In
| other words, there are seven residents
| for every voter. Calling the average
six and a half we find that, according
to the vote, the population of Great
Falls would be lS,S69. In this connec-
before the recent election party man
ayers. on both sides We're complaining
of the apathy among voters, so that
I the vote was probably smaller than it
otherwise would have been. Further,
1t is probably true that there is a
larger proportion of nom voting men in
Great Fails than in most cities. This is
| partially so because a great many peo-
pie have come here within the last
year, and have not yet established a
voting residence, and partially to the
|
foreign element here. many of whom
are not yet citizens.
THE voting figures are not the only
4 proof of the absurdity' of the census
figures which we have right at hand
A recently issued directory would have
some bearing on the proposition under
consideration. Compiled by an outside
concern, which had no particular in
terest in the city, it showed popula-
tion of 22,sSo, and complaint has been
made that this directory did not cover
the city at all we'll. But more impor-
tant than the directory figures is the
school census. only recently completed
That showed there We're resident in
this district 6,42S children under q
years of age. Taking a multiple OF
three-and three and half is some
times taken--we find that the popula-
tion of the city would be 1924
Talking the vote cast in the city
and the school figures, we find that
these alone show 1881. The census OF
1900 showed that there were 76, 800, ,3S7
people in the United States. OF that
number 426,l107sS We're of school age
AT the general election of that wear
there were 13,959,643 votes cast In
other words. these two classes ac-
counted for just about half of the to-
tai population, and using the same pro-
! portionate figures for Great Falls we
4 find that the total population Of the
city is 1862.
CAS- a matter of fact Great Fails has
undoubtedly a greater population than
any of these estimates from known
| figures show because of the conditions
prevailing here, but taking the very
lowest estimate that can be made
from any known figures, and Great
4 FAILS has at least 5000 more Il people
than the census figures give her. The
injustice is.so manifest that the census
bureau should at once take some stems
to give the city a square deal"
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