Speech #470193380

Mr. WILLITS. who made tke report. before the investigating committee made this statement: "The essential question of fact controlling the action of the majority of.the .Vommittee was the incompleteness of the census of 1870. upon which the apporfionment of representation to Nebraska was based. Affidavits were used to show how inefficiently the census of that year had been taken. but the strongest evidence of that fact was tile alleged census of 1872 by the State. by which it was made to appear that the population in 1872 was nearly 228.000- and this coupled with affidavits that the immigration for 1871 had been light. demonstrated. as it was thought. conclusively that an acourate census in 1870 would have given a fraction over the 131.425the basis of a single Representativesufficiently large to have entitled Nebraska to another Representative. Hence the certified copy of the census of 1872 was an important factor in the conclusion arrived at." (16.) The misinformation was in presenting the census of 1874 for that of 1872. when aone had been taken for the latter year. The House directed this committee to "learn the facts touching this matter" and report "at its earliest convenience. at any time. how this misinformation occurred. and who is responsible therefor." Much testimony has been taken under that authority. a copy of which is hereto attached.