Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-06-03
THE CENSUS,

People Who Object to the Inquisitiveness
of the Observation-Disclosures to BE
Answered-The Compulsory Feature OF
the Law-Fair Plays Query.
The census enumerators are prosecuting their
work with due diligence, but lind enough In
stances where the information they seek Is
grudgingly or incorrectly given to make their
labors heavy and to detract from the possible
usefulness of some of the statistics. There are
people who object to the iuquisitiveness of pub
lie officials. One officer, they say, wants to
know how your house is built and whether
your chimpeys are cleaned. Another wants to
know what you do with yOur Stops and ashes,
and whether you have any vegetables left over
in your cellar. Another wants to know all
about your furniture and your debts and
whether You have any money coming to you.
And now comes another who wants to know
your personal and family history, and has to
ask the most impairment of questions. From
people who take this view of the matter the
enumerstors are not likely to obtain infurma-
tion accurate enough to make the census bu-
reau's tables of age, condition, BIRTH ETC.,
quite reliable. Some of them may be induced
to try and give correct information
if they are plainly told of the COM
pulsory clauses of the census law
but the enumerators have first to train them
selves to be polite and persuasive, and they
themselves may not be aware of the fact that
when the information they ask is refused PEN
alties will attach to the parties refusing and
may be enforced IN court. The penalties,
however, do not attach to persons who are ig-
norant of the facts required, nor could they
well be enforced against parties who profess
ignorance Some Of both classes are encoun-
tered daily.
Really there ought not to be any
prejudice against the census. Its
objects are patriotic and for the
good of the people ut large. The infOrma-
tion sought will. in enc form or another, be
helpful to everybody. And We would suggest
that heads of families or some other competent
person in the family prepare schedule for the
inmates of the house, covering all the follow
ing points which the enumerator is required to
ascertain.
/. Name of street.
Z. Number of house.
3. The name of each person whose place of
births and deaths since June l, 1880, not to be
included.
4. ColOr-white black, mulatto, Chinese, or
Indian-of each member of the family.
3. Sex, male or female, of each member.
8. Age at last birthday prior to June l, $780,
of each member. If under one year, give
months in fractions, thus-6-l2.
year give the month.
8. Relationship OF each person in the family
to its head-whether wife, son, daughter,
servant, boarder, or other.
9. Single?
10. Married?
IL. Widowed.
II. Married during census year.
IL. Profession, occupation or trade of each
person, male or female.
IA. Number of months any member has
been unemployed during the census year.
10. If any member is sick or temporarily
disabled SO as to be unable to attend to ordi-
nary business or duties on the day of the emu
merator's visit, say 50, and state what the sick
ness or disability is.
16. Blind?
II. Deaf and dumb?
Is. Idiotic?
10. Insane.
20. Manned, crippled b5dridden or otherwise
disabled?
81. Attended school during the census year?
y. Cannot read?
70. Cannot write?
"a. Place of birth of each member, naming
State or Territory within the United States, or
the country if of foreign birth.
20. Place of birth of the father of each men,
Der, naming the State, Territory. or foreign
country.
&c. Place of birth of thu mother of each
neIHoSI, HauIlilR OIdte, 1etIIIoIy VI IOIeISu
country.
For the encouragement of persons who dis
like to make public any personal Or family
matters, it is proper to state the fact that The
enumerators and all who are connected with
the census work are forbidden to make public
any of these personal and family details. They
are simply aggregated by wards, towns, viii
lagos cities, counties and States, without use
of names and error, these are not to be made
public until the tabulations are complete and
revised at Washington.
In this connection we publish the follow ing
from well known citizen of st. Paul, and re-
fer it to Gen. Andrews for an answer
The law regarding census enumerators pro-
vides that each and every enumeration shall re-
side in the district, ward, or part thereof, in
which he, they, Cor she) resides.
Now why is it that Gen. G. G. Andrews,
supervisor of census in this city, appoints a
lady to enumerate in the Fourth ward, and
she resides in the Third ward? Please answer
this question and address the answer to
FAIR PLAY.