The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1880-06-04
THE CENSUS.
Tenth Enumeration of the Population
N s, ofthe United States. ... ,r'

the Various 1t1OtStStfaS 8tfO S130UuI0CtuFe5
in active operation Throughout the
country and the extent and value OF
their products.
All of these are valuable statistical
facts in no manner connected with as-
sessments or taxation, which may
prove of service In the administration
Of government and future legislation.
The census law is stringent and im-
rcsentati0n Of facts. It is to be hoped
that the work of the census enumera-
'tsrs will be facilitated by our citizens.
The Duties of Enum orators.
+, Under the printed Instructions re.
ceived from the Superintendent OF Cen
sus, Walker, at Washington, the emu
1t is the duty ofeach enumerator to
visit personally each dwelling in his
subdivision, and each family therein,
and each individual living out of a
family in any place Of abode, and by
inquiry tG obtain each and every item
of information and all the particulars
mentioned in his schedules. BY indi-
viduals living out of families is meant
all persons occupying lofts in public
buildings, above stores, warehouses, fac
tories and stables; living solitary in
cabins, huts or tents, sleeping on river
boats, canal boats, barges, ETC., and
having no other usual place of abode,
and persons In public stations having
no homes. or the class just men,
toned, the most important numeri-
cally is the first. In order to reach
such persons, the enumerator will need
not only to keep his eyes open to all
indications Of such casual residence
in his 'enuneration district, but to
make inquiry both of the parties oc--
cupying the business portion of such
buildings, and also Of the police. a
letter has been addressed from Wash
ington to the Mayor of. every large
city of the United States requesting the
cooperation of the police SO far as it
may be necessary to prevent the omis-
sion of these classes of persons. 1t is
case no person shall be found at the
usual place of abode of a family, or in
dividual living out of q family compe-
tent to answer tho inquiries made in
with the requirements
of :. tho act, then it shall be
lawful for the enuMerator to obtain
the required information as nearly as
may be practicable from the family or
or person or persons living
nearest to such place of abode. 1t is
the prime object of the enumeration
to obtain the name and the requisite
particulars as to the personal descrip-
ti0n of every person in the United
States, of whatever age, sex, color,
race or condition. 1t is the duty of
AN enumerator, in the exercise Of his
authority, to visit houses and inter
rogate members of families residing
therein, as provided by law, to use
great courtesy and consideration the
need not enter into prolix
or give time to anything
beyond the strictly necessary work of
interrogation. 1t is entirely possible
fortthe enumerator to be prompt, rap
id and decisive in announcing his OBJ
ject and his authority, and in going
through tho whole list OF questions to
be proposed, and at the same time not
to arouse any antagonism or give any
Otfense. 1t is not within the choice
OF any inhabitant of the United States
whether he shall or shall not ,commu-
nicate the information required by the
censns law. BY the fourteenth section
Of the act approved March 3, 1879, it
is provided that each and every person
more than twenty years of age, be-
longing to any family residing in any
district, and in case of
the absence of the heads and members
of any such family, then any agent
of such family shall be, and each of
them hereby is required, if thereto re-
quested Ivy the superintendent, super
visor or enumerator, to render n true
account, to the best of his or her
knowledge, of every person belonging
to such family in the various particu-
lars required by law, and whoever
shall willfully fail or refuse shall be
guilty of misdemeanor, and upon
conviction thereof shall forfeit and
pay sum not exceeding 800. Emu
merators will, however, do we'll not
UNNECESSARILY to obtrude the compu1-
sorry feature of the enumeration. It
will be found in tho vast majority of
cases that the persons called upon to
give information will do SO without
objection or delay, and if the enumer-
ator enters upon bis work in right
spirit, he will generally meet. with a
favorable and even a cordial response.
1t is only where information required
by law is refused that the penalties
for noncompliance need be adverted
to. The enumerator will then quietly
but firmly point out the consequences
Of persfstency in refusal. It will be
instructive to note that at the census
of 1870 the agents of the census in only
two or three instances throughout the
whole United States found 1T neceSsa-