Year: 1870

Shall We Have a Census z


The discussion in regard to the census, that
promised to be profitable and practical, has
suddenly slipped away and ostitself in cloud
of amiable generalities and stunning compli-
ments worthy political manifesto in the ''era
of good feeling" Everybody calls everybody
else q gentleman, and it seems to be thought
that is the end of it. But what in the mean
time becomes of the census? The fact remains
That the census is not taken and has not been
kaken as it should be and must be in order to
get real and full enumeration of the people
lof this city. We do not care how many gen.
klemen there are In the matter-the more the
better, Of course-but we want the census
officials, gentlemen or not, to count the peo-
ple. This they have not done, and from
appearance are not disposed to do. We take
1t as not the best sign in the world when any
lcriticism is made on the conduct of an official
FOR his friends to suppose that they have vim
Hicated his conduct when they have offered
package of certificates that he is gentleman.
These certificates are cheap. 1t is better in
buoh cases to discover q mans gen.
tility in the scrupulous and conscien-
hous completeness of his labor. One
pf the arguments put forth i. by the
census men is especially worth notice. They
yell US that the subordinates get paid by the
name, 80 much money for 80 many names
faken by each man, and therefore that it is
&he interest Of each man to get as many names
hs possible. Now, what is wanted is an actual,
practical enumeration of the people that really
live here. We do not want as many names as
possible. We do not want any discretion left
70 the subordinates in the premises. One of
bur reports is to the effect that man told the
census taker there was a family in the third
etory. Now, to the census taker that family
was associated with the four cents that he
would be paid for taking 1t, and he thought it
would not pay to 60 to the third story for four
cents on such hot day. Therefore he did
not go. If General Walker and Marshal
Sharpe are the finest gentlemen the world has
seen since Chesterfield was buried they can
mot make good census with subordinates
whom they teach to reason thus by
their plan Of payment One of the subordi-
hates, named Kennedy, has been to look
np one Of the non-enumerated who wrote to
the HERALD. This Kennedy writes to the
radical Pharisee on the subject He says -
'''There can be no mistake about the house,
as the said G. L. Slcher, who keeps q gin
shop, lives there" That, of course, settles
everything. 1t cannot be necessary to make
the census correct if anybody keeps a gin
shop. If man keeps gin shop he ought
not to be enumerated. He ought to be CRATE
ful to the census men for not killing him with
paving stones In spontaneous explosion of
their republican virtue. 1t has been said by
p city journal, in a bewildering state of stu
pidity that the census of this city must
necessarily be taken at time when very
large number Of the people are absent. Why |?
Because it always has been. Beautiful con-
servatism Also because the law fixes the
time. But 1t seems that the men are still at
it. Therefore they may do it under the law
IN September, and in September our people
are nearly all home. The work should be
done completely within one week, and that
week should be week in September, say the
third or fourth. So it would be If our census
men were not so full of gentility that they have
no room left for brains.