A census joke and a fairytale
by Bill Miller for
the Mail Tribune
Monday, January 6th
2020
In 1920, for the
first time, the national census would start on Jan. 1 instead of June 1. It
wouldn’t be without controversy.
Enumerators would have just two weeks
to count the people and livestock living in their assigned district. Their pay
was 10 cents for each man, woman, child — and beast.
The previous month, dozens of local census
takers had qualified for their task with an examination held at the county
courthouse in Jacksonville.
With the First World War behind them,
everyone in the county expected a rosy future. Ashland leaders even expected
their population to top 6,000 people, an increase of over 1,000 citizens
counted in 1910.
However, no sooner had the two weeks of
counting ended than Medford leaders were
smelling trouble. The chamber of
commerce urged anyone who wasn’t counted, or believed they weren’t counted, “to
report the same to the Chamber.”
The Mail Tribune printed a coupon to be
filled in with name and address, entitled, “Have You Been Enumerated?” If the
person wasn’t counted or was in doubt, they were urged to send the coupon to
the Supervisor of the Oregon Census in Salem.
By July, initial results were announced
and the controversy exploded under a first page Mail Tribune headline — “Joke
Census. Figures Give Medford 5,756.” That was 3,084 fewer residents than those
counted in 1910!
“Anyone familiar with Medford knows
that this census figure is a farce,” the story said. “Conservative estimates
place the population at 10,000 to 12,000.”
In its defense, the paper cited its
circulation figures within the city. And based on mail receipts, the post
office had estimated a population of 6,554. The article claimed that prominent
citizens and their families were also missed.
The Chamber sent a protest letter to
Salem and to Washington, D.C., demanding the city receive a re-enumeration, an
investigation and a “square deal.”
With a column headlined, “a Fairy
Story,” a Grants Pass newspaper relished its neighbor’s squeals.
“Once upon a time there was a city in
the U.S.A. that aspired to excel all other cities in that part of the country
in every particular, but especially in size.
“When results were published — Oh
horrors! This proud city had lost nearly one-third of its citizens. There was a
great hue and cry from the indignant dwellers, but when the calm succeeded the
storm, some of them admitted that the previous census had been padded.”
The column ended with a question and an
answer.
“Can you guess the name of this city?
“No, not Medford, for our neighbors
have not yet admitted that they stuffed the 1910 census. The city connected
with this little story is Omaha.”
Oregon Congressman Willis Hawley said
he was sure he could get “a new census ordered” if Medford residents could
“show they have not had a square deal,” and they made an effort to prove it.
By August, a month of screaming
protests became mere grumbles. The Bureau of the Census issued final and
official results.
Over the previous 10 years, Jackson
County had lost over 5,300 residents. Ashland couldn’t reach its anticipated
surge to 6,000 residents, actually losing over 700 people.
As for Medford, there was no recount,
and the initial tabulation remained at 5,756 — a 34.9 percent loss; the worst
loss of all cities in Jackson County.
What about Grants Pass you might ask?
Its population rose by nearly 8
percent. Hmmm. Could it have been the climate?
Writer Bill Miller is the author of “History Snoopin’,” a collection of his previous history columns and stories. Reach him at newsmiller@live.com.
https://mailtribune.com/lifestyle/a-census-joke-and-a-fairytale
