The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-03-27

be equally as good as the manufacturing
statistics collected by enumeratofs for the
census of 1880, and the statistics of births,
marriages, deaths, and occupations will be
better, and of agriculture much fuller,
than in 1880. The inquiries as TO the acre
age in growing crops June 1, 18S4,-barley,
buckwheat, corn, rye, winter wheat. spring
wheat, potatoes, sorghum, and grass, requir-
ed by the state census law, are new and inn
portant.
Former state censuses have neen taken by
supervisors ut the time of taking the assess
ment. Objection has been made that assess
ing officers cannot take a complete and ac-
curate census, both on account of the many
other duties imposed upon them, and the
fact that the inhabitants cannot be pur-
suaded that honestly answering the various
census questions will not in some way in
crease the amount of their taxes. That no
such objection may lie against the census of
1884, the law provides that il shall be taken
in the month of June, or more than month
after the completion of the assessment, and
by enumerators appointed specially for that
purpose. The enunlerators are to be ap-
pointed after the first Monday in April, and
ON or before the first Monday in May. The
appointments in cities are to be made by
common councils, and in townships by town
ship boards
The enumeration is to commence on the
first day of June, and be completed in the
month of June. 1t is to be of date June /,
or just four years after the National census
of 1880.
After the enumeration is completed the
population schedule will be publicly review
ed, but no unauthorized person should be
allowed to examine, nor in any way to as
certain the facts contained in any of the
other schedules. If an enumerator shall
communicate to any person not authorized
to receive the same any statistics of prop
erty or business included in his return, he
will be subject TO a fine of three hundred
dollars, or thirty 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 protection of in
dividual interests. Men naturally hesitate.
if they do not altogether refuse TO answer
the questions relating TO their private bust
ness required by census laws, but there is no
excuse for concealment when assured that
their answers will be treated as confidential
The census of business will be tabulated by
the secretary of state so as TO show the 40
gregate for state, counties, townships. cities
and wards but the tables will in no instance
expose the operations or business of an in
dividual, firm, or corporation.
Enumerators will receive for their SER
vices two dollars and fifty cents per day fol
the time actually and necessarily engaged in
the canvass and in the review of the popu-
lation schedule, and ten cents per mile fo1
going to the Office of the county clerk To
obtain the necessary blank schedules, and
ten cents per mile for carrying the returns
to the county clerk. The amount due each
enumeration will be calculated by the clerk
and paid by the county treasurer on the GER
tifcate of the clerk. Before the county
clerk can certify the amount due an enumer-
ator, he Is required to satisfy himself that
the returns are properly made out and duly
certified. He will "closely examine each
census sheet for omissions, erasures, inter
lineations, and other defects, including care
less or imperfect entries, and torn or soiled
condition of the sheets, causing indistinct-
ness in the entries. Every sheet thus de-
faced will be rejected as not properly made
out as required by law"
1t will be seen from the foregoing that
high order of intelligence will be necessary
for the proper taking of the census under
the present law, and 1t is hoped that those
authorized TO make the appointments will
select only those persons for enumerators
who are in every respect thoroughly compe-
tent.