The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-22
Right

The decision OF the Police Commissioner
as to the extent OF the protection and sup
port to be afforded to the census enumer
ators is right and sound.
On Saturday last Mr.. CHARLES II. MUIR
RAY, the Supervisor OF the Census for this
town, announced to reporter that he hoped
he would not be obliged to use the means
the Government puts in our power to get
the information We are to give to the SUI
perintendent Of the Census, but 1t Is more
than likely that we will have to in some
cases." AS to the proposed method Of forcing
people to answer the census questions MIR.
MURRAY said:
There 10 penalty for refusing to answer the ques
tions put by the enumerators By law this is declared
amiSdemeanor. and the guilty person is subject i'm.
prSonment ana fine not to exceed 500 The enumer.
ator may call upon tho United States Marshal or. by
showing his commission he may request tho assistance
OF any policeman to arrest denQuentL"
The enumerator may request the assist
ance Of the New York police from dawn to
sunfall to arrest citizens who decline to dis
close their chronic maladies or their mort
gage indebtedness, but he will not get it,
On Tuesday Mr.. MURRAY requested the Police
Board to instruct the members OF the force
that, when called upon by the enumerators
for assistance. it is their duty to arrest per-
SONS refusing to answer the census ques-
tons. The Board informed Mr.. MURRAY
that the New York police would do "all that
1t lawfully may under the statute
That means the New York statute, not the
Federal Census law. The statute In ques-
tion empowers our policemen to arrest with
out warrant any person committing in their
presence any breach OF the peace or offence
directly prohibited by act Of the Legislature
or by any ordinance OF the city. So far rs
we are now aware. there is no act OF the
Legislature or municipal ordinance which
prohibits citizen OF this State from refus-
ing to report his physical ailments and his
financial condition to n stranger demanding
the information in the name OF the United
States Government.
The assistance and protection which the
police can lawfully render to the census
enumerator are precisely the same as they
can render to any other person In this town.
They may tell the enumerator how many
blocks 1t Is to Thirteenth avenue and Hora-
Ito street, or they may assist him to pick
himself up II he tumbles In crossing slip
perry street, or they may protect him from
the wrath OF any indignant citizen who
has been provoked beyond self-control
by the impertinent and outrageous
questions which the poor fellow Is
Instructed to pressS II any physical
violence is offered to the person Of an emu
merator-and we sincerely hope there will DO
none. in any case whatever-the policeman
witnessing the assault can march the Of
fender off to the station house. But as
for assisting the enumerator 10 make his
way forcibly into dwellings to which admit
lance Is refused him, or arrestlng at his
demand citizen who declines to state his
diseases and debts for the benefit of statis-
tlcal science. the New York police will be
passive and disinterested spectaton
II they should take too active pare In the
pursuit OF statistics, they would render them
selves liable to action for false imprison-
mont; and that is what the Police Boards
reply to Supervisor MURRAY means.