Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1884-03-20
MICHIGAN CENSUS OF 1884.

ken in June of this year, pursuant to
the provisions of Act No. 146, Laws of
1888. The act is not an amendment of
the law under which the censuses of
1854, 1864 aAd 1874 were taken, but is
an entirely new act, and repeals all
former census acts. 1t provides for a
much fuller census than has ever yet
been taken under State authority -
Excepting special investigations
provided for 10y the National census
law, our present State law is scarcely
less comprehensive than the National
law. The schedule TO be used i'm the
enumeration are believed TO be an im-
provement on I'll ose used in taking the
National census. The statistics of man
ufactures will be equally as good as the
manufacturing statistics collected by
enumerators for the census of 1880 and
the statistics of births, Hl arrages, deaths
and occupations will be better, and of
agriculture much fuller, than in 1880
The inquiries as to the acreage in grow
ing crops June /, 1884, barley, buck
wheat, corn, oats, rye, winter wheat,
spring wheat, potatoes, sorghum, and
grass, required by the State census law,
are new and important.
Former State censuses have been ta-
ken by supervisors at the time Of TAX
ing the assessment. Objection has
BEEN made that assessing officers can
not take complete and accurate cen
sus, both on account of the many 9th
-r duties imposed upon them, and the
fact that the inhabitants cannot be
persuaded that honestly answering the
various census questions will not in
some way increase the amount of their
taxes That no such objection may lie
against the census Of 1884, the law pro
vides that it shall lie taken in the
month OF June. or more than a month
after tn, completion of the assessment,
aud by cnumerators appointed special
ly for that purpose. The enumerators
are to be appointed after the first Mon
dav in April, and on or before ths first
Monday ia May. The appointments in
cities are to be made.by common COIN
ellis, and in townships by township
boards
The enumeration is TO commence on
the first day of June, and be coinpIet-
ed i'm the month of June. 1t is to be of
date Jane /, or just four wears after
the National census of 1880.
.,ftcr the enum ration is completed
the population schedule will he pub
licly reviewed, but no unauthorized
p ,rson should be allowed to examine,
nor in any way TO ascertain the facts
contained in any of the other sched.
ules If an enumerator shall comnu-
nicate TO any person not authorized to
receive the same, any statistics of prop
erty or business included in his return,
he will DE subject to a fine of $500, or
30 days Imprisonment in the county
Jail. or both such fine and imprison-
ment in the discretion of the court. -
This clause is necessary for the protec-
ton OF individual interests Men nat
urally hesitate, if they do not alto
gether refuse to answer the questions
relating to their private business re-
quired by census laws, but there is no
excuse for concealInent when assured
that their answers will be treated IA
confidential The census of business
will be tabulated by the Secretary OF
State so as to show the aggregate for
State, counties, townships. cities, and
wards, but the tables will in no in
stance expose operations or business OF
an individual, firm, or corporation.
Enumerators will receive for their
services 81. 50 cents per day for the
time actually and necessarily engaged
in the canvass and in the review of the
population schedule, and 10 cents pei
mile for going to the office of the coun
ty clerk to obtain the necessary blank
schedules, and 10 cents per mile fol
carrying the returns TO the Office of the
county clerk. The amoSnt due eacf
enumerator will be calculated by the
clerk and paid by the county treasurer
on the certificate OF the clerk. Befor,
the county clerk can certify the amount
due an enumerator, he is required to
satisfy himself that the returns arr
properly made out and duly certified
He will closely examine each census
sheet for omissions, erasures. interim,
ations, and other defects, including
careless or imperfect entries, and tori
or soiled condition of the sheets, caus
ing indistinctness in the entries Ev
cry sheet thus defaced will he rejected
as not properly made out, as required
by law"
1t will be seen from ths foregoing
that high order Of intelligence vii
be necessary for the proper taking o
the census under the present law, an
it is hoped that those authorized {
make the appointments will select onl
those persons for emu. .ierators who ar
in every respect thoroughly competent