The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-26
TIE PEOPLE WON'T STAND 1T
No Patience with the Unconstitutional
Census InqulsItiOn.
Frm the Philadelphia Record.

and elsewhere ut the inGulstorial errand on
which Census Superintendent Porter will in n
!, short time send his army Of enumerators. Sell
respecting men and women look upon the
questions relating to the health and physical
condition Of the people as grossly mpudent,
entirely useless rs statistics and far outside
the field which the Government has proper
right to inquire into.
A number OF prominent Phladelphans were
questioned yesterday as to their Wow OF the In
QUESTION with threat OF fine TO whoever Is
dumb before the questioner Many asserted
that they would refuse TO answer
Said eXPostmaster William +. Hnrrlty:
while might answer all the questions truth
fully in the negative think they are impertt-
nent and would refuse TO answer them both In
regard to myself and the members OF my lam
lily. think. too people generally Will look
upon these questions in the same way. and defy
the fine rather than answer them.
The question relating TO farm mortgages is
also impertincnt The statistics will not be at
all reliable. for in many instances farmers Will
refuse to answer and will not disclose the
exact condition OF their financial affairs. The
statistics will thus be incomplete, and such
| statistics are useless
John G. johnson. the well-known lawyer.
was lust as emphatic in his condemnation Of
these features OF tho census. He looked at
the question concerning mortgages q moment
| anu tutu bhlu, III lib peculiarly NuuTp anu uC-
cisive way: Tho Government has u constitu-
tional right to collect information upon GER
tain subjects as to be able to levy taxes H.
| telligently and equitably, and for pur-
| poses OF aDportioDing legislative repre-
| sentation. Questions which, II answered
will in any way help the Government 1t
has right 10 compel people to an
swer. But there are many things which do not
concern tho Government. These questions
about mortgages and personal Affections can
not, II answered correctly enable the Govern
ment to perform its functions any better. l do
not propose to answer them for that reason.
and do not see why anybody else should. They
are decidedly impairment, and should have no
place in national enumeration"
Frank L. Pritchard tho lawyer did not hest
tate In returning his answer: The closer
you get to the line which divides legitimate
questions from those which are improper the
more Inaccurate will the answers be- Those
relating to mortgages and ones physical con-
dition are so far across the dividing line on the
side OF the improper that scarcely any really
correct answers will be given. 1t is foolish to
suppose that men and women will answer abb !
surd and impertinent interrogations"
One eminent lawyer. in reference to the ques- |
ton Are you insane?" said rather pointedly: |
IL mans insane OF what account will his |
answer boz" Such is the general attitude OF |
prominent mon toward the coming census |
Ratherers, and it is safe to prophesy that they |
will find their path thorny.
From The Chicago Herald
The only excuse given for the intrusive and |
unnecessary personal questions thrust into |
the census without authority Of law or war
rant in reason is that the information sought
cannot be procured in any other way Let us
see.
All the questions touching disease are OF no
importance except to the medical profession
1t Is certainly OF no value to John Jones' a lay
man, to know that Tom Brown Is slightly deaf
1t would. on the other hand. be painful to
Richard Roe TO confess that his father is a
drunkard while Mary Doe might we'll be
spared the humiliation Of acknowledging that
her mother has been made lunatic by NOR
phine. Statistics Of disease are procurable
In regular ways By those who deal with the
matters under which they are classified.
Physicians do not need to know that
the mother Of Mary Doe is the victim
Of morphine they can tell by the
totals in asyums whether the morphine
habit Is increasing or not, and 1t is
only through the annals Of their profess
sion that they acluiro or can avail OF new
modes OF treatment Of 1t or OF other diseases.
In like manner statistics concerning the blind.
deaf dumb. and idiots are procurable through
fects Of the senses are SO slight as to call for
no professional treatment, they are so slight
as not to require space in the United States
census. The question whether n prisoner,
convict, homeless child, or pauper" is q curious
mixture OF Stiffness and brutality. The num-
Der Of convicts can be ascertained from State
records. Why should neighborhood be sup
piled with tittle-tattie about the unhappy
mother OF q son who Is supposed dead and
60, IL, o-;., FnI, II
United States gain anything by subjecting her
to this shamer Is any human being outside
poorhouse going to acknowledge himself Q
pauper? And II In a poorhouse. Ia not the |
total OF the inmates all that Is statistically re-
duired?
Four questions are devoted to mortgages.
Every mortgage In the United States Is regis
tered. 1t Is not OF Importance to the United
States as q Government or to statisticians |
TO know the names OF the debtors What Is
wanted Ia the total. 1t can be procured from |
the books J
The intrusion OF the census taker into the
strictly personal affairs OF the people Of the
United States is without precedent as 1t Is
without constitutional authority. The CEN =
sus is designed to ascertain the number 9
Of inhabitants In the United States de- /
The direct purpose Is to guide I
Congress In apportioning representation.
IL was never designed TO become National
Bureau for the Collection Digestion. and Dis
Of Scandal and Tittle-tattle. All
questions pertaining to health and private fls- q
cal affairs should be unanswered. They are :
either impertinent or brutal.
From The BuGuo Courier.
The series OF questions prepared by the Sec- {
rotary OF the Interior under an authority con- J
ferred upon him by Congress. which the census
will put to every citizen, shows
an astonishing lack OF discretion and regard :
for Individual rights. All citizens are expected t
to give information in relation to physical and
mental defects and diseases OF themselves and 4
the members OF their families. their property. b
their debts and other things which are usually !
regarded as strictly private matters Fine and !
Imprisonment are threatened In case they fail i
to comply with these requirements !
Tie Government thus assumes an iuauisi. /