The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1880-07-16
CENSUS NOTES .


II e,rreay Imposed Upon Enurnern-
r.5,r the above caption Hugh McQuaid,
-, Supervisor of Census for Montana,
'| the Independent Of Saturday last
'' oObhcation in the NEW NORTH WEST
,,., week of the enumeration of this
..c and holds that tho enumerators are
JIowed TO make public industrial or
,,,rsrt, items, and that ait is true that
,omerators are under oath not 10 di-
.,orse the enumeration Of their DISTRICTS"
/ ~, mat "the reports Of the census from
.ho east have been from the large cities
1 .o8 have been approximations only in all
.,sos except where the enumeration has
,..o obtained from the lists filed with
nhe County Clerks"
A.. Jadependent, "to satisfy our cotem-
.,v and all others on this point, "quotes
t.. allowing extract from the oath admin
arrd 70 all enumerators
81 will make and tile the list of inhabi-
.n,. re,uired TO be made and filed by the
a.,n section of the act OF April 20, 1850,
-lI uIll not otherwise disclose any infor.
s,noo contained in the schedule, lists or
r,spgnts obtained oy me 10 any person
f. rersons whomsoeyer, except TO my su-
srOr officers.
ns eompeis us, with the best feeling
us.hIe toward our esteemed friends, Su-
,ri,or McQuaid and the Independent, 10
,.,,ut from the impression it iDfereDtiaIly
rveys. that we are not entitled to obtain
ai ppb,ish the number OF persons enume-
aed 10 any district whenever the enumera-
IA, file their lists in the office Of the Clerk
ttbe County Court (Commissioners), as
osy are required to do immediately after
snpletiug their enumeration, which nee
HarlIy ended June 3Oth. More than that
n hold that the enumerator is required by
Ias law to inform us, If present, "the
.OIe number of persons by him enumera-
l Nn And this we will show by the " act
provide for taking the tenth and subse-
rsDt census, approved March 1850. The
| OATH prescribed in section seven includes
iar5
1 And will make Que and correct returns
Ihsreof Az required by said act, and DfE
h. disclose any information contained in
iae schedules, lists or statements obtained
| g me TO any persons except my superior
acers."
| This was binding and under it secresy
VA imposed. But by an act Of Congress
,pproved april 10th, 1880 (six weeks after
Urdl, provision was made in section six
"lor public exhibition of the returns Of
DguIation Of the Tenth Census" as fol-
8w:
lie (the enumerator) shall give notice
By written advertisement at three or more
PAGES in his district that he
/ viii be at the Court House of said county
I % TIE fifth day after flung said list, not
GcIuding Sundays, from nine o'clock ante
meridian TO six o'clock post meridian, and
| hs following day, for the purpose OF cor
netting bis enumeration by striking out or
ddrug the designation of persons improp-
| ay enumerated or omitted and on the
/ days 81 designated be shall, 10 accordance
Nh said notice, proceed TO correct, on
ggh reliable information as he may obtain,
| I'll omissions and mistakes IN such enume-
aiOn, and TO that end he may swear and
h. uhan faQtify Elhianf
b the pains and penalties OF PERFUMES.
Tie result Of such inquiry for correction
aM Tie Uh0Ie nuRabe- Of persons 6g rim
nUutrated, he shall make knoon TO the ty'
GahderS, If ang."
And that the oath of office prescribed by
sctiOB seven of said act (of March 3,lSS0)
b No amended AS to authorize and require
lie making and filing OF the list OF inhaol-
has as required by this act"
. Now, then comes in the oath first above
quoted, Of the act Of April 90, 1880, pow
tHg that he will not Jthersoise disclose
hy Information contained in the sched-
ueE lists, ETC." The first act imposed ST.
ng in all things the subsequent act pro-
Hded that the enumerator should state
FOliClv, required him 10 do 80, 10 the
County Clerks Office "the whole number
PERSONS by him enumerated" aud then
toe first oath was amended so that the emu
aeatOr should "pot otherwise disclose any
formation" etc. This debars him from
giving to the assessor, or others, the prop
] ry and other statistics obtained. We
auu we have made this clear, have shown
hE the miscopstruction Of the law oc-
@rnd, and that the census statistics tele-
gnphed from the East are not necessarily
s4proximates, but are legitimately OBJ
thst frsm the enumerators In accordance
"athe laws and their oaths.
ha logical and legal sequence oil the
above, We believe any aud every one has
1e right to know before the returns are
Sat 70 the Supervisor the exact number
people in each district, and that he, or
NY other person, has the right to collate
add publish the returns from any and all
chen they are sent in. Congress first i'm
posed entire secresy and then abrogated II
" far as the numbers Of people were con
sned.
since the above was In type the Inde
sAdent publishes the census returns OF
Montana " by consent Of General +. A
walker, Superintendent of the Census.
" General Walker could not well consent
+" Ihe violation Of an oath or the law, W.
axe 1t for granted the above construction
VI The law has been found correct, and tina
ee enumerators are not now held TO hav
'oated any oath or instruction In statinl
Ae number of persons enumerated.