St. Landry democrat., 1890-06-07
The Census Question.

The Census question:
AS the time is at hand for the census
man to put in his appearance we give the
following advice on the subject taken from
two leading journals:
now TO MEET THE CENSUS ENUMERAToR.
Politely and pleasantly, in the hrst
place. He comes TO you on necessary
and constitutional errand, ana ne IS IN
bnmble~wav. a representative OF the glo-
rions government we all love and uphold.
Don't ATTEMPT to rebuke him or argue with
him He is simply carrying out his in
strnctiops, which are definite and manda-
torv as far as he is concerned. He has
no mower to change the schedule of ques-
tions committed to him by his supe1inten-
dent, Remember that it is not the enum-
orators fault that Mr.. Robert P. Porter,
and DR.. John s. Billings, aud Colonel
Carroll D. Wright entertain ideas in
which YOU cannot coincide concerning the
value to statistical science of your n!timae
secrets of health and pocketbook. They
are monstrously mistaken, and you are
right in YOUR location of the constitutional
limit of Federal inquisition but the enum-
orator has had. no voice in the matter. He
isn't to blame. Probably Re had rather
be excused than not from pressing your
wife with questions as to her physical
condition, or from asking you whether the
house you live in is mortgaged. His task
is not an agreeable one, and, IN common
decency, YOU ought to make it as easy as
possibie. Answer the questions that come
within the legitimate scope of government
inquiry as promptly, plainly, concisely,
and satisfactory as your command OF
| language permits. The right to ask the
greater part of the questions is implied in
| the power to make the enumeration for
which the constitution provides. Few
people will object to imparting to the gov
eminent, as matter of favor, not of obii-
cation, such information about parentage,
place of nativity, occupation and education
| as it may cherish q harmless ambition to
| ACQUIRE, When the enumerator comes to
Question No %, whether suffering from
| acute or chronic disease" and so forth,
maintain an impressive silence, and keep
| it until the end of the schedule is reached
Then bid them goodbye IS pleasantly as
YOU babe him good morning. But DOM
argue.-NeU York San.
CENSUS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
Some of the questions which the census
enumerators are required to ask when they
begin their rounds week from Monday
are becoming the subject of good deal o.
discussion. Several papers are obJectine
to them as an impairment and unwarrantee
| inquisition into the private and persona
affairs of individuals. They even 60 81
far as to advise people not to answer them
assuring them that they are not law
fully bound to do SO and can be made tt
pay no penalty for refusing. The census
schedules are prepared by authority o
congress. The law required the question:
put by the enumerators to be answered
and prescribes a fine of 500 for refusal
That is valid law if congress had thu
power to pass it. Until repealed or amend
| ed by congress it must be obeyed or it,
penalty paid. The assumption is in favo
of it's validity. Hence any person VIII
disobeys it is liable to arrest, arrajgnmen
and fine. It can be declared unconstitu
tional and set aside only by federal judg
in the first instance and finally by TIN
United States supreme court. If the ques
ton were raised it would in all probability
90 to Washington for settlement. Thu
power of congress in this matter must b.
either very narrow or very broad. 1t i
empowered either to make only an enum
|
take comprehensive census embodying
great variety of statistics relating to per
sons. agriculture, manufactures, com
merce, etc. The questions that are nov
most objected to as obnoxious are thos'
relating to the health of the individus
and his financial condition, or to be NOR
precise, whether he is suffering from acut
or chronic disease, whether he lives in hi
own or hired house, and if the latter
whether there is any mortgage on it.
these inquiries are to be deemed offensiv
and unwarranted numerous others must b
treated in the same way. Many persons
especially women, may resent questioning
as to their age, whether single, married
widowed or divorced, while others ma,
object to tell whether they can read o.
write, whether they are sound in mind
what their business is, whether they hav'
ever been in prison, etc. Yet statistic
bearing on these and other delicate point
have long been gathered without an.
serious opposition. If, as is now urged il
certain quarters, congress has no right t.
ask such questions, no power to take
general census, but authority only to max
an enumeration, then our whole Fedora
census system must fall to the ground
The nation cannot gather statistics show
ing the personal condition of the people o
the agricultural, industrial and CONNER
cial state of the country. Whether tina
is or is not the case we will leave to tn
supreme court to determine. 1t may b
noted here, however, that from the foun
dation of the government down to tn
present time it has been assumed both b.
congress and the people that genera
census might be taken. The first Fedora
census, taken in 1890, just after the con
stitution went into effect, was more than al
enumeration, and the scope of inquiry ha
been steadily enlarged until the census o
the United States has become the mos
comprehensive known to the word. /
may be that this is all in excess of tn
power of congress and in violation of tn
constitution. But century of usag
throws good deal of light on the mean
ing of the constitution and will have mucl
weight with the courts in Interpreting tina
meaning.-New York Herald.
Creoles.