Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-05-15
THE CITY CENSUS.

= RESIDENT Of this city SENDS us
the following:
"Can you inform me hat object
civ censns taker has in view who,
having received a courteous answer TO
alfhis queries. VIII at the next house
inquire II those in the house Just visit
cd are .Niormons' or not-and then
make a record Of the answer in his
book2
Are our city fathers compiling a re-
lisious eensJs Dor is that portion OF their
employees work superorogstory?''
We are credibly informed that
other Irrelevant questions besides
;hat namei by the correspondent
are occasionally asked by the city
census takers. Among the other
alleged heterogeneous ale such as
are intended to elicit infornla-
ton rs 10 whether the person
inquired Of is n citizen. If
the reply be Affirmative ami if ii
a2pears that the person has been
naLuralized, the next query is in re-
gard 10 when and where the natur-
alization was effected. Some, We
are Informed, are even asked
whether they are registered elect
CTS.
The city census takers receive
their authority from the City
Council, and the latter obtain theirs
from a Territorial statute, which
simply authorizes the making Of 2
count. The officers engaged in the
duty can only properly obtain infor-
NATION in reference to names and
ages, in order that the census report
may exhibit the number OF
majors and minors comparatively.
Any other questions are surplusage,
are unnecessary, impertinent and
Sy their nature may show that they
are asked for an Interior purpose.
Not only are the people to whom
they are addressed under no obuga-
ton to answer them, but should
they do SO they viii thus aid the
officer to exceed his duties.
Why Should such Intermediates
he put TO the peopIess those referred
TO above? That is the gist Of the
question Of our correspondent. =
logical inference can he deduced
from their character:
Is the individual '.AIormon?', |
Is hea citizen: Has he been natur- |
allied, and il 50, when and where? /
Is he 4 registered voter?
Under existing circumstances
these are al, including the first |
political queries, and Of a piece with
a secret circular sent cut over the
signature OF II. 5. McCallum. in
persons where, how and 10y [
whom they can &c registered.
Indeed On the face Of 0.e census
operation inauguEated by the City /
Council, there is an appearance of
Sc being purely political from an
other standpoint. The census by
iae city officials anu that which !
WIZ lie IN operation in 4 few days
under the auspices Of the General |
Government are almost sfmu!;auc-
Gus. Consequently the city enunler-
alton seems TO be entirely a work Of (
saI-ercroEaEon, cxceq, for PARTISAN
purposes. It Is TO be Presumed !
that the census maushaIs Of the
government viii properly execute
their work. If 80, the exhibit OF
their laboEa in reference to this city
VIII I've 81 sufficient for. purposes Of
Information Hence, rs stated, the
city oficial census is supssauous.
This jus-iies the inference that
there is q political purpose behindit.
But it has another partisan appear
ance besides the information In that
line sought to DE elected by means
Of it. The policy Of partisan re-
wards for campaign work presented
by The party Row holding the NUM-
cipai reius mas becn aud is notorious.
IL Is constantly urged, and instances
Of the most giaring character have
occurred. Is it not consistent to
aeduce from the premises Of the
that there is something Of
this character connected with the
city census? the Council resolution
authorizing it empowered the Mayor
10 appoint such census officers, and
Is many, As he mightsee fit or deem
necessary, giving him plenty OF
scope. Putting the whole business
in a lump, being careful not to omit 4
The unnecessary character Of the
work 50 far as the general public is
concerned, the giving Of employ
inent to clamorers may have cut no
small figure in The transaction.
JTsU n-paTu - nun nr-rxrra, I