human
I've been wondering, Mr. Burns, the boy said, as they stood in the great concourse of the Union Station at Washington,
gpt
There is to some extent, Burns replied.
human
I think something like a hundred places filed protests in this last census.
gpt
Then I read something, too, about census frauds, Hamilton said,
human
There was a little of that, the Inspector said,
gpt
Was this granted?
human
It was, the Inspector replied,
gpt
And how did it come out?
human
It substantiated the first recount in every way. It was, indeed, a wonderful object lesson in showing how small is the margin of error in the United States Census.
gpt
But was there really much fraud among the enumerators and supervisors, Mr. Burns?
human
With perhaps one exception, no criticism could be made of the supervisors, but you can't have 70,000 enumerators, chosen for temporary work, and expect perfection! There was quite a little over-counting, caused by entering hotel transients as having permanent residences, by numbering citizens both at business and home addresses, and the constant difficulty of the floating population. Deliberate frauds were very few; where trouble was found it was usually discovered to have been due to the unauthorized activity of committees of boards of trade or other commercial organizations, giving lists of names all ready to be copied on the enumerator's schedule, which the latter did not take the time and trouble to verify.
gpt
Then do you think the net result of the census is to make it seem that there are more people in the country than really are here?
human
No, the Inspector replied confidently,
gpt
I think that's mighty close, Hamilton said.
human
But do towns never wish to have small numbers announced?