Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-10-06
DOWNRIGHT by Edgar ". Nye. ]

One or Two Samples to the PUBIC
Copyright by Edgar W. Nyel
NY thanks are due TO the printer for
advance sheets, promptly received, OF
little brochure entitled 1.-The Literary
Side of the Census" the receipt, or
recipe, rather, of which is hereby CRATE
fully acknowledged.
Il is n little volume of less than 200
pages, neatly printed by the govern
ment, think. 1t is going to be a rapid
seller. and great boon. 1t is compiled
from answers on file at the Census bu-
reau mainly regarding the interroSato-
ries issued by consent and connvance OF
government relating 10 membranes on
property and other private matters. The
publication of the book reveals for the
first time the true reason for these com
pulsory answers Acting upon the hint
already gwen by thrifty publishers and
syndicates, who write to eminent people
occasionally asking them how they
earned their first money and whether
they have it yet. and if so, whether they
would be willing to loan some of II, etc,
the bureau has its drawers now full of
statistics, rs one might say, and with no
cost at all is going 10 Issue this book rs
soon rs | have looked 1t over carefully
and done some expurgating. Mr.. Wan
amaker says he Will cheerfully put it on
his bargain counter if viii go through
it carefully and see that it is pure.
My esteemed contemporary, the editor
of The Congressional Record, has gone
through it. but in slightly cursory
manner. think, and quite a number of
impure thoughts have escaped his eagle
eye-thoughts which of course might be
neunitted in deliberative body, but
not in the mails. Those who have hap
pened to be in the postal car on n hot
day when an impure thought was in
transit VIII agree with the writer that it
ought to be stopped, especially during
the crowded seasons, when the mails are
already overtaxed with their burden of
lottery business.
III | could have my way | would have
appointed by the president a large com
mittee of mind readers, to have general
supervision of the United States, and the
moment any person was detected hav-
ing an impure Thought the committee
should have power to hit him back of
the ear with club and take him before
the cadi The time is surely coming
when the now lawleSs think retort of
the great thinking world will have to be-
come subservient to the laws of the land
This viii be general at that time Peo-
pie who have surreptitiously thought
damn for centuries will be brought ND
and exposed It will astonish a good
many, think. 1t will create complete
panic. No one but the dignifed and
non-committal idiot will be safe But
fear that am DEPRESSING.
The book above referred to embodies
some odd information regarding iudebt-
edness, and sheds light at times incident
ally on some points not embodied in the
census regulations and not contemplated
by the act authorizing the taking of the
census. will give a few of these re-
plies bearing on the mortgaged condi-
ton of property and the reasons there
for, carefully eliminating names and
residences.
One man who writes very poor
hand says: 81 have mortgaged my place
for 5000 to a neighbor of mine in order
20 give my daughter good schooling and
accomplish her so as she could do well.
She learnt to eat pie with fork and
play The Maiden's Prayer on the
piano, and then married what's called
an eronaut. He made an ascension last
spring. and they didn't find him till last
Fourth of Juiy, when a brother of his'n
made an ascension at the same place. and
when he come down he discovered my
son-in-law in a tree. He reckOnized
him before he seen him, he said. The
widow and children are stopping at
home now along with me and mother.
will lift the mortgage as soon as | can
if you will keep this to yourself. It
galded Martha a good deal when this