New-York tribune., 1890-05-29
DEFENDING THE CENSUS QUESTIONS.
SUPERINTENDENT PORTER URGES THE IMPoR
TANCE OF THOSE RELATING TO ACUTE
OR CHRONIC DISEASE

OR CHRONIC DISEASE
Washington May % (spcclall-In an Interview
TODAY Mr. Porter. the superintendent Of the Census.
fakes the opportunity 10 reply somewhat at length 10
the criticisms made upon certain questions on The
lists sent ont for the Gt the enumcrators In their
canvass next month. A. TO the mortgage and IN
dclcdncss questions it is we'll known that both Mr.
Porter and the senate Committee on the Census op-
posed their being placed the list and were over
rulcd Nv the Western and southwestern sentiment In
favor OF gathering all the facts bearing upon these
oucstions Mr. Porter cannot be blamed now for
irving TO carry ont the provisions Of the law which
we're forced upon his bureau by large majority In
each branch of Congress. The questions about
nbvslca and mental disabilities have tecn asked be
fore. Regarding both classes Of questions. as will
be seen below an order has been issued which. it IS
hoped. will remove all possible cause for complaint.
Il have Just issued said Mr. Porter. ito tho
supervisors OF the Census throughout the country an
Department u tno Interior. Census onlee.
Washington. D. C.. May 20. 1890
Supervisors of Census You viii please instruct Gnu
rsors in where persons refuse to answer " qne
the population schedule relating 70 ph' seal
and mental dlsahntio, 22 aud 3D. or tho questions r'
ang farms home, aud mortgages 20 to 80. inclusive
IN tho proper column the words Refused TO
answer" 30 further steps viii De necessary on the part
o tho supervisor onumcator and all legal Proceedings
viii tc Instituted by the Washington Office through the
E0BTEr = PORTER.
Sunern'ondsr, o., tensus
"You will see from this that people have simply
70 decline TO the questions. when II will rest
with the law department Of the Government. upon
the facts being reported 10 q. n whether tho
mandate NJ the law governing the subject is enforce
able. These questions concerning acute or chronic
diseases were asked In the Xth Census only IN much
more blunt form than they the forthcoming one
In fact thcy have been asked in some form other
in all Of this country from tho Nth dovn To
the present similar questions asked In tic cen
suscs Of the more civilized countries of Europe. mor
especially Great Britain and France In the latter
country II had been developed BY these statistics that
ont Of population %! 30 900 900 NOR" than 2oooooo
were unified for solf support by rason %. physical
disability Of one kind or anothcr-aoutc or chronic
Thus 1t viii bc seen. 30 this instance. f'r example"
that one eighteenth u this population wc0" absolutely
81 much dead stock on hand n homcy phrase
What general Of an army would undertake 10 *"
into baltic wlth0ut first knowing the exact phYslchi
condition Of bis cnti? force, we'll A. rs numerical
strength II seems 80 ne that such Information IS
Just essential Co. affair, u government. for we ac
in battle. struggling mr Industrial supremacy. inv
ing IN v!cw the greatest prosperity u the whole
people. Aside from these considerations. scientist,
demand this Information. Greater than all cons.dcrt
upIs. however. the law command, Il To- DO obtained
have no discretion. Under my oath u oHicc / anl
law. 11,.c who seek the cheap uotorc,y that comes
from nppant objections 20 almost anything that g.
proposed must fret turn their abilities IN the dircc
iion Of repeating that to which they obcct not of
consuming crticisng the officer appointed % carry
out the provisions 81 law.
The object sought o be attained In gathering this
information is not. some woud lead the ordinary
person 10 suppose. a Of Paul Pry' business. or
al opening mp Of family skeleton cosci,' uu ne.
contrary, 10 IS 10 ascertain the number who arc d.,
abcd from their ordinary employment by reason of
acute diseases such malarial typhoid fever or
by Of chronic lung disease. consumption OF
tumors Of various kinds. chronic rheumatism or the
result Of injuries. such fractures. etc. such I'm
formation has value amounting almost o. paramount
importance. While the figures that may be obtained
for any one group cannot matter Of course be ~
pee, ted 10 be absolutely accurate, the deficiencies VII
be In about the same proportion everywhere. Hence
the results In different groups will be fairly com.
parable with each other.
Giving IL A. my personal opinion with the sane.
ilOn Of my official Office. am at loss ~ understand
where a blundcr can bc made In following the recon-.
ncndatiOus In this matter Of tho most eminent stalls
ticaus ~ THIS country and Of Europe in placing these
question I'm the schedules. And take II that Il was
I'm view ~ these recommendations that provision va.
made in the law for this purpose. In inv Judgment
the people of this country are too intelligent not ~
appreciate the value of Information tO be derived from
a comparison Of answers given, and the importance
Of maing such answers as accurate a. possible. II
must also be borne In mind that the answers given a
regards each individual will be treated absolutely
cOnhdental'
prIrrp ASD UAPPOR pIII pkcc1SC THE tIctfct