The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-05-25

| A4G@E ~ I'LL psOtSG III EMO MCCASg Va
By the 18th prozimo, while the labor
in the country districts need not be
closed until the end OF the month.
People may as we'll be preparing for
the official visits, as by the readiness
of their answers the necessary work
will be. expedited. The impression
that sometimes prevails that the visits
OF tne enumeIa!ors and the questions
they PROFOUND are impairment,
should be cast aside. Taking the
census ig one of the most important
works performed by government.
Much of cur legislation is based upon
the reports, the representation in the
law making department OF govern.
ment is arranged in accordance with
the returns, and indeed, public policy
is more or less shaped by the fscts
and figures gathered by the enumera.
tors, the supervisors and other officials
connected with the cengus. Il also
might as well be understood that all
persons over 20 years OF age, are
required, under pains aud penalties
for refusal, to answer the queries
propOunded, and give the desired in
formation. Some of the questions
may seem impertinent, but they
ought not to appear so, in view of the
objects and purposes for which the
information is desired. For instance,
people do not ike to tell strangers
what members Of the family over 20
years Of age are unable to read and
write, the mental and physical health
of each person. who are cripples, and
which are deaf, dunno, blind, insane,
or idiotic. These are matters that the
family do not ike to talk about, but
the information is necessary for the
public, and will have its influence in
shaping laws to remedy the evils.
Nor should people hesitate about
giving the information. It cannot
be taken advantage of to their injury.
Information OF personal character
or touching individual business or
interests, must not be revealed by
those who collect it. Such communi
catious are strictly and sacredly
confidential betWeen the govern
ment and the individual.
The census oficers must be
put under oath to faithfully perform
their duties, and penalties of fine and
Imprisonment are provided for
failure to comply with the iustrnc-
tions as laid down in the law. The
information obtained By the enumeTa-
tor or agent can only be diyulged TO
his superior, and the latter is under
like pains and penalties for comnu-
nicating it to others il an unautho-
rized manner. While the law compels
the individual to impart the informa-
ton desired for the benefs OF the
public, it is equally strict in protect
ing the individual 10 whatever COM
municstions he may be required 10
make. The enumeTstoTs who will
begin the rounds next Tuesday. are
required TO visit every inhabited house
in their respective districts. and
among the other items of information
that they must obtain from the heads
of families, or in case Of their absence,
from any psrsou over twenty years of
Of age, are the following: The name,
age, sex, color and place of birth OF
the occupants Of the house; the trade,
occupation or profession of all over
fifteen years of age; whether the
adults are married or single, or
EidoWed; the school attendance
within the year Of the children;
what members OF the family over
20 years of. age are unable to read
and write; who are employed and
who unemployed. and for what por-
ton of the year; what relation each
peren in the house bears to the head
of the family, the birthplace of the
parents and ell other members Of the
family, the bedridden, idiotic, deaf,
dumb, blind, crippled, etc. Informs
lion must also be given By railroad,
manufacturing, mining, telegraph,
and in fact pretty nearly all kinds OF
companies and corporations engaged
in business Of a public nature. Like
the personal communications above
referred to, the information given by
companies and corporations is con-
fdentisl, and cannot be betrayed.
The coming census is designed to be
the most complete ever taken in this
country, and it should be the desire
of the public, as well as the officials,
to see that full and correct returns be
made.