Albuquerque morning journal., 1910-10-16
Enormous Growth of Several
Western Towns Shown By
Returns, Results in Investi-
cation By the Bureau.
PRESIDENT DIRECTS
GUILTY BE PROSECUTED
Enumerators in Some Cases
Said to Have Padded Lists
With the Names of Non-ReSi-
dents.

! tbN MOfnlus bbuFhhA PFSNiAA A-NtAS'o WIZ
Washington, oct. l5.--Staggered
by the enormous growth shown by
the returns of the new census for a
number of western cities, Director
| Durand of the census bureau ordered
an investigation. the result of which
appeared in the announcement to-
night that gross frauds had been per
| petrated.
Mr.. Durand gave out also a letter
from President Taft directing that
persons implicated in the alleged
| frauds be prosecuted.
cities specifically mentioned as be-
| ing affected by the frauds are Ia
coma, Seattle and Aberdeen. wash;
Portland. ore: Minneapolis, MINI
| Boise. Idaho and Fort Smith. Ark,
but is is said that there are many
others.
The result Of second enumeration
Of Tacoma. Wash, was announced
tonight The city shows a popula-
tion of S2,972, an increase Of 45,25S
or 30 per cent over the population
of 1900
The first figures turned in for
Tacoma were 11G,24S. In other
words, the actual population was
padded to the extent OF S3, ,296, which
would have meant further addition
of 40 per cent
These additions were made in
thirty-four out OF he seventy three
enumeration districts IN Tacoma. In
some OF these districts the number
reported proved to s severed times
greater than the actual population.
In ten districts enumerated the
first census showed 29,753 names
whereas the correct number was
found to be 1l,646
The statement issued by Director
Durand consists in he main OF q let
ter from himself addressed TO Secre-
tary Nagel OF the department of
commerce and labor dated October
q. in which the Whole case lis pre-
sented end OF q brief letter from
President Taft to Mr. Nagel of date
of October IL.
The letter Of President Taft fol-
lows
Beverly. Mass. Oct. II, 1910.
Il have read Director Durand's
letter and agree with him that IL
ought to be published. The cases OF
all those who appetr to have violated !
the law should b. Investigated by |
the grand jury anc if sufficient evil |
dence is found to justify it, they |
should be indicted and prosecuted at |
once. Nothing VIII so conduce to |
securing a proper census as the |
prosecution of those who attempt a |
fraud upon the law
II am led to believe that the pres |
ent census has beer much freer from |
attempted frauds tlan any previous /
census, but the Instances cited by |
Mr.. Durand are sufficient to require |
the most vigilance bring those who |
have violated the llw to justice and |
proper punishment
"Sincerei' yours,
WILLIAM II. TAFT"
Hon Charles Nigel, secretary of
commerce and labo.
The letter of Director Durand, also
addressed to Secretary Nagel sets
forth that ATTEMPTED padding" OF
the census was brOlght about mainly
through the use of slips pril-,ed by
private individuals and containing
the census questions. These were
distributed very gnerally on street
corners and elsewhre and were filled
out by thousands Il people who had
either already been enumerated or
We're not permanent residents of the
city and not entitld to enumeration
there. II is possible that Ia some
cases the addresses were found to be
vacant lots
These slips were turned over by
the private individuals who collected |
them, through sIecial agent of the
census bureau named Corwin, to
thirty-four of the snumerators and |
they, under the intructions of Cor
win, added the names To the enumef-
alton by assigning them as board
ers" or dodgers" - various houses
in their districts.
In other words. ne director states
the enumerators deliberately made /
the false statemen that these per-
sons We're residene at this or that
particular street number, although
the enumerators knew nothing what
ever with regard o the names SO {
fraudulcntly added