Traditional methods best for taking census

According to the Jan. 26 issue of the Honolulu Advertiser, Hawaii's politicians are divided along party lines about the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to reject "statistical sampling" as a method of taking the 2000 census.

Democrats and scientists say that sampling may have resulted in a more accurate reading. Republicans say that the traditional way is best, in spite of its poor coverage of rural areas.

The Supreme Court's ruling -- that the traditional method must again be used -- was good. Although a full count will require hiring thousands of census workers across the country, it is the procedure we have used since the beginning of the nation.

Although discrepancies will inevitably result, they will be no worse than in the past, when the country was even more rural than it is now.

And with regards to population count for congressional seats, we need not worry. Even if we cannot find the 20,000 or so citizens that were missing from the 1990 census, it will probably not affect Hawaii's standing.