The New York herald., 1870-05-25
THE CENSUS.
Everything Prepared for TAX
ing It on the 1st of June.
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Full Statement Of the Information Re-
quired by the Government.
Names, Ages, Color and Descrlp
tion Of the Population.
Value Of Property and Agricultural and
Industrial Products.

Industrial Products.
The taking OF a census every decade or years
involves the answering or two questioDs-Has the
population OF the country decreased or increased
since the lasI census What the value Of the real
and personal property Of tae people There are OF
course, minor questions, such AZ those relating TO
religious literary or educational progress but the
two specifically mentioned contain the most impor-
tant information desired oy government, Tor 10 fol-
lows as matter OF course that 20 long rs popula-
ton multplles and property increases In value the
intellectual progress OF nation Keeps pace with
these evidences Of prosperity. Morally there may be
no improvement; in fact, the multiplication OF
people anu consequent establishment OF large
centres OF population tend directly TO impair
the moral standng-that is, while IN the
aggregate religion and morality increase vastly,
propOrtionately they decrease. For instance, when
the United States contained but six millions OF in
habitants there was higher order of morals than at
the time, when they contain forty millions
This fact however is so patent that it scarcely
quires Illustration.
HOW THE POPULATION WILL BE NUMBERED.
On the first day OF june next the census takers
will begin their rounds in their respective sub-dt
visions, visiting each dwelling house, whether in
city or country and each manufacturing establish
ment as also such other places as IL may be neces
sary to obtain information from. Beginning with
the population he puts certain questions which are
printed on pages OF paper marked schedule l."
His first duty is to number the dwelling houses In the
order of visitation aud to number the families con-
tanned therein In like manner. Let us suppose
that house No. ] contains one family. The
census taKer, who is an employed assistant OF
the United States Marshal, upon which official de-
wolves the duty of taking the census, records the
name Of every person whose place OF abode on the
first day of June, 1870 in this family descrip
t0n OF each person is recorded, and includes his or
her age al last birthday, but If under one year, the
months are simply given. Furthermore the sex
must be stated, If male with the letter ''M II fe-
male with the letter r. The color OF the person is
thus recorded:--H white with "W,' If black with
q "B,n II mulatto with an "Mn If Chinese with
&C." and If Indian with an "I.r The importance
Of these questions are selfapparent. They enable
the government to ascertain the name age and color
Of every person, from infancy TO old age, and 1t is
therefore imperative upon the people to answer each
question truthfully. Maiden ladies and widows of
doubtful ages should not confuse the government
and render Its census tables unreliable by insisting
upon their being not more than twenty-five years
old, while old beaux Of sixty must honestly say
sixty and not stick at forty. Reliability being the
aim and desire OF the authorities, all citizens will
perceive the necessity answering truthfully.
PROFESSIONS, OCCUPATIONS AND TRADES.
In the foregoing six questions the number Of per-
sons in each family is obtained, and, strictly speak
ing, the census Of population is taken. But 1t is
desirable that the profession, occupation or trade OF
each person, male or female shall be obtained, and
to this end question concerning this desideratum
VIII be put. II the person is lawyer, shopkeeper
carpenter, he simply states the fact for record.
Where there is no business the answer is 'none,"
except in cases where some arstOcratc individual
desires to inform the government that he s gentle
man, which means everything, from person who
lives on the income arising from his property to
who spends his time in fighting the tiger. Seriously,
however, 1t being desirable to learn what the various
occupations of the population are, this inquiry
should be fully answered.
> REAL AND Personal PROPERTY.
The eighth and ninth inquiries refer to the value
Of real estate and personal property owned by each
person-not the value assessed by government for
taxes but the value put upon such property either
by the owner himself or by the market. For exam
plea person may own house and lot worth
$4,000 but which the tax value at $4,000.
He should report the vane at the first named figures
TO the census takers, so that 1t may ee ascetaned
what the cash value Of all the real and personal
pronerty in the county, State and throughout the
public on tile Ist OF June OF the present year.
PLACE OF BIRTH, PARENTAGE, ETC.
The next inquiry OF Importance IL the tenth, which
requires the place OF Dir OF eacn person:
OF the United States, the name Of the State Terri
tory must be gwen; If OF foreign birth, the Of
the country in which born Inquiries eleven to seven
teen In schedule one, relate to parental. social and
educational matters. The eleventh and twelfth require
the Information whether the parents OF the person
were Of foreign birth, and are under two lines,
being for the father and the other the mother so
that In cases where one parent was born, say In
and tine GhT was rstye M ne et may be
within the year the month should be given January,
February, &c, In answer to inquiry thirteen, and II
lsuff fhl I'm
esting event took place should also be stated. In
this connection we would call attention to what
seems to be omission in this schedule. No inquiry
IL made to the social condition Of the person ex
cept where he or she has been married within the
year. This Is an important fact to ascertain. When
to state whether they were SINGLE married
widowed We would call the attention OF the United
States Marshal TO this apparent error.
Inquiries ffeeD sixteen and seventeen refer to a.
tendance at school within the year and 10 want OF
educational attainments. as whether the person
cannot read and cannot write. Inquiry eighteen Is
whether the person Is deaf and dumb, blind insane,
ldiouc, TO which we trust there viii I've ~ negative
answer.
CONSTITUTIONAL RELATIONS
Under this head are the nineteenth ana twentieth
inquiries, which conclude all to he answered in
schedule one. The one requires information regard.
ing male citizens OF the United states OF twenty
Tuiry, as 1t enables the government TO ascertain he
voting population OF the republic at the present
wul set at rest the charges OF fraud In connection
with election. The pcrtinence or the twentieth
and last inquiry Is not so apparent IL requires M
formation regarding .male citizens OF tine United
States Of twenty-one years OF age and upwards,
whose right to vote il denied or abridged on other
grounds than rebellion or other crime.r This doubt
less includes persons living in States where pro-
perty educational qualification IL demanded by
their constitutions, and persons incapacitatcd by
reason OF ailments, such as madness, &C.. and IN
this respect Is proper. IL would be Interesting
and important to learn how many persons are denied
the right to vote because OF rebellion other
crime"
QUESTIONS NOT TO BE ASKED OR TO WHICH THE Az
swERS ARE OPTIONAL.
1t seems, from note ut the top OF Schedule ],
that the inquiries relating to profession occupation
or trade and to educational attachments are not to
De asked In respect TO infants" IL would also
10 be optional to persons whether TO state If their
parpnts were NJ foreign birth III they attended