IT IS FUNNY.

THAT MINNEAPOLIS ENUMERATORS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO MAKE DUPLICATE RETURNS.

THE CENSUS COMMITTEE

OF MINNEAPOLIS, IT IS HINTED, HAVE FREE ACCESS TO THESE RETURNS.

WHICH IS CONTRARY TO LAW.

St. Paul Has a Very Enterprising Enumerator - It Is Osborn, of the Sixth Ward - He Would Not Enumerate Alderman Hare, But Included in His Returns an Unborn Babe - General Census Jottings.

Secretary of State Berg went over to Minneapolis this afternoon and will look over the work of the local committee in that town. In reply to criticisms that have been offered regarding his allowing the Minneapolis enumerators to make duplicate copies of their returns, he said:

"I allowed that simply because they could not check up with the local returns unless they had the copies. We will see to it that no copies of their returns reach the local committee or the public in any way whatever. The only way enumerators at a distance can check up is to have copies of the returns. They cannot visit the capitol conveniently as do the local enumerators."

This is the reason given for his order countermanding that of Capt. Wildt that no duplicate returns should be kept by any enumerators.

The question is how to prevent some of the local committee in Minneapolis from gaining access in one way or another to the returns.

The action of the chief in allowing them to keep duplicates has been criticised on this account.

The St. Paul enumerators have kept no duplicates and consequently there is no such chance for irregularities as there might be under the Minneapolis system.

While the state secretary is keeping close watch of all the returns and the action of the Minneapolis committee, there is still a strong belief, which finds frequent expression, that the enumerators have no business whatever with duplicate returns. There is always a chance that they may be lost or mislaid and trouble ensue.

Capt. Wildt said this morning, however: "There will be absolutely no chance for tampering with the returns, even if the Minneapolis people were so disposed to do so, for the reason that the returns are all in. The enumerators have completed their work practically, and it would be impossible for the local people over there to add anything to them."

The census bureau is just now having fun with Osborn, one of the Sixth ward enumerators. Mr. Osborn refused to count Alderman Hare because he had removed his family to the lake for the summer, but this morning, in looking over his schedule, they found a return for an unborn babe. Mr. Osborne is one of the most conscientious men on the force and his work has been very thorough, but the fact that he refused to count the ward alderman and made a return for an unborn babe will cost both him and Alderman Hare several boxes of cigars when their friends get hold of it.

Another enumerator, a well-educated young man from Waseca, wrote the bureau, stating that a babe had been born in his district June 2, and asking if he should take it.

Capt. Wildt replied that if the mother had no objections he might take the babe.

A Minneapolis evening sheet the other day made a great blow about having the returns from Beltrami county complete, and published a lot of figures, which made even a very poor guess. As a matter of fact, the returns will not be complete until the Indians on the Red Lake reservation have been counted, and the government interpreter has been engaged to make these returns.