The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-10-16

President Taft has directed the
Census Office TO report to the law
office all cases of padding census
returns. Correspondence between
the Census officials and Secretary
Nagel, Of the Department of Com
merce and Labor, on one hand, and
President TAFT on the other, was
made public last night. In an
nouncing the population OF Ia
coma, Wash, Census Director Du-
rand made public letter he ad-
dressed October s to Secretary Ma
gel, and also a communication from
President TAFT, with reference to
the census padding in Tacoma, Sc
attic, and Aberdeen, Wash; Port
land, Greg; Minneapolis. Boise.
Idaho; Fort Smith, Ark, and a
number Of other cities.
Director Durand set forth all the cir
cumstances in his letter 10 Secretary
Nagel. who wrote to President Taft, re-
celving in reply a letter reading as fol-
lows:
TAFT URGES PROSECUTION.
Beverly. Mass. Oct. Il, 1910
Ny Dear Mr. secretaB: l have yours Of Octo-
ber 5 have read Director Durands letter and
agree with min that it ought 10 be published. The
cases Of al those who Gppear 70 have violated the
law should be Investigated By the grand jaly and. II
snslt evidence is found 20 justify it, the should
be indicted and rrosseutsd st oues. Nothing VII
oolduce 70 securing proper census as the prose
eltioa O; those who attempt a fraud upon the law
am lei TO believe that the present census has
been much freec fIom attempted frauds than any
previous census, OU tae instances cited by AT.
Durnd sufficient 20 require the utmost vigilance
bIiEg those Who have violated the law justice
and proper punishment. Sincerely Yours,
WILLIAM H TAFT.
Tacoma Padded 10 Per Cent.
Director Durand's letter 10 Secretary
Nagel reads. in part, as follows;
October s, 1910.
Sir; IN connection with the official
statement OF the population OF the city
Of Tacoma. Wash. / regret 10 be obliged
TO state that il has been found that the
original enumeration OF many of the
enumeration districts in that city grossly
exaggerated the population. The total
number OF names which were improperly
added by the enumerators 20 the popula-
tion Of the city amounted TO not less than
S3 296. or an addition or 20 per cent 10 the
correct number OF the inhabitants. Sub
stantialy all OF the padding, as such
overcountng may conveniently be called.
took place in thirty-fOur out Of the sew
enty-three enumeration districts. In these
thirty-four districts the original count
turned in by the enumerators showed an
aggregate population Of y .425 whereas
the correct count showed only SS13O In
other words In these enumeration dis
tricts, taken as a whole. very nearly a
per cent of the names reported by the
enumerators had 70 be eliminated as not
properly belonging 10 these districts. In
one enumeration district the original
the accommodation showed only S23; and
in another, where the original count was
S.OO4. the recount showed only $50. In
ten of the districts more than half OF
the names reported by the enumerators
had 10 5e eliminated. Most OF this over
counting OF the population OF Tacoma
came about in the following way:
Private Census SIfph
Certain private individuals or organi-
cations. desirous that the. population of
the city should be at least completely
enumerated. caused TO be printed slips
containing the census interrogatories and
similar 10 the slips used officially by the
Census Bureau in enumerating indi-
vidual boarders. dodgers. and guests at
hotels. the data secured by which are
subsequently transferred by the emu
merator TO the large official schedules,
which provide space for 100 persons.
These privately printed census slips were
distributed by private individuals 70 any
persons whom they could reach who
claimed not 10 have been enumerated and
80 be entitled 10 enumeration. The slips
were distributed In stores. factories, and
eIIctSt anu IIOln tdDieS on street corners.
Wherever person was discovered who
claimed that he should be enumerated, a
slip was filled out for him or by him.
Even though it is possible that every
ehumerator who improperly added names
TO his schedules did so under the instruc-
tons of Special Agent Corwin. neverthe-
less. these enumerators We're not only
technically guilty of a misdemeanor, but
they are also morally guilty and person
ally responsible for what they did. Sec
ton % OF the Census act, TO which the
attention of the enumerators was specin-
rally directed before they began work.
explicitly prohibits false statements. The
false statement Of these enumerators
that the persons named on the slips were
residents at places where. as matter OF
fact, they never had resided, was made
knowingly, and no enumerator could fall
10 know that in doing so he was violating
the law
In this connection. beg to state fur
SI25 10 Baltimore and Return
To-day via Baltimore a Ohio r R.