Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-04-22
CENSUS BUREAU WILLING TO
GIVE CITY CHANCE TO SHOW
NUMBER OF MISSES,
LETTER TO T.-R. SHOWS
HOW CITY MAY PROCEED
Supervisor Porter Makes Inquiry OF
Newspaper to Ascertain How Gen.
sus Figures Were Received, and
Answer 10 Forwarded to Wash
ington.

Marshalltown has been offered a
chance to check its census figures
against list Of people who have
reason to relieve they were missed
when the enumeration of the decen-
NAL census was made IN January. A
letter to the Times Republican from
the census bureau shows the method
Of procedure.
The letter from the bureau Is in
reply to an answer to an inquiry
made by NJ. d. Porter, Cedar Rapids,
supervisor of the Fifth district CEN
sus. Mr.. Porter wrote this newspaper.
asking how the census figures were
received by the people. The reply was
to the effect that the figures We're
received as Il joke, and so considered
by the people. 1t was explained. how
ever, that the public did not look
upon the failure to show the gain
expected as due altogether TO poor
enumeration, but partially on account
of the fact that business interests,
concerned in proper enumeration.
lending every aid possible to the
epumerators, and seeing that a cor
rect count was made. y
The Bureaus Letter.
The bureaus letter to the T.-R., is
as follows:
"Mr. NJ. D. Porter. supervisor of
census Of the Fifth district of Iowa,
has forwarded to the bureau your
letter of April IL, addressed to him,
of MarShalltown was incomplete.
You claim a shortage OF from
1000 to 1000. An average Of these
numbers Is 1900. This represents
approximately 10 per cent of the to-
tai population of the city as an
nounced by the bureau.
This office desires to make q cor
rect enumeration of the population
of Marshalltown, and it regrets that
the results Of the enumerator's can
vass were disappointing to the citi-
zens of the city. The bureau is in
receipt of a great many complaints
Of defective enumeration, however,
and. because great majority Of
them appear to be without substan-
tial foundation, it has been found
necessary to adopt the policy of re-
curing the compliments in all cases
to submit some tangible evidence in
support of their assertions If they
desire the bureau to take action
thereon.
Willing to Check Figures.
If the persons who are acting on
behalf Of the city in this matter de-
sire to do so, they may send a repre-
sentative to Washington to take part
in the comparison OF names and ad-
dresses Of persons believing them
selves to have been missed by the
enumerators with the enumerators'
returns. This will not be necessary,
of course, but the bureau will be glad
to permit your representative to as
sist in this work. 1t will be neces-
sary, however, that he be sworn and
commissioned as a census employee in
order that, without violation of the
census law, he may be permitted to
examine the enumerators' returns.
IF, as a result of this procedure,
it can be demonstrated that the
census enumerators missed per
cent of the bona fide residents of the
area under investigation, the bureau
will arrange to make a complete
check Of the work done by the emu
merators thruout the entire city for
the purpose of rectifying any errors
and deficiencies in their canvass.