Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1891-04-09

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into the snbieot for the Eformatiou Of
his readers He wentin person TO tho
census bureau nade his business known
Z, 70 Mr. ,l,.:.,ls Snpen Z y Porter, whom
man indeed, and there discovered that
the work OF the census bureau is one OF
great magnitude; ard so far as this
mortgage question Is concerned, that
the figures and amount OF work is ap-
pauling. II appears, as was published
IN these columns O few weeks ago, that
the total number OF mortgages in the
country, taking all the farms and the
city lots and the outlands together,
amount TO 5000, 600 In round numbers.
Abstracts OF these are now on file In
the census bureau It appears, further,
that several Of tho states have already
.beea atteuded 10. In the south, Ala.
hanA and In the nnfiNNcIk Iowa, have
f,tti, fnllor.A n4,fIfon stated The next
two states WY VI, M the south. Tenn
essee, and In the west, Kansas. They
are now under way, but on account Of
the immense mass OF business before
the bureau, and the shortness OF help,
IL has been found necessary TO abandon
this part OF the work for the present,
and take IL up again rs sooh as some
other pressing work is disposed OF. The
work is classified so as 10 show great
many very interesting facts concerning
the mortgage Indebtedness OF the peO-
pie. The first classification Is between
farms and homes, those farms which
are not occupied bv their owners; those
which are occupied by renters are not
considered in this classification at all.
IL appears, on a general average, that
there are about one-half as many city
lots undor mortgage as there are OF
farms. 1t appears, further, that so far
as Kansas Is concerned, the average in
debtedness on farm lands-that Is 10
say, on different tracts-is about $500,
and that IL is little less than 5000 10
the average city lot. Then there are
other classifcations so as TO show what
was the object OF the Indebtedness, what
was the object OF contracting the debt,
whether it was for purchase money. or
improvements. or TO pay attorneys fees,
or In the settlement of estates, or for
the purpose OF purchasing stock, or
machinery. or whatever IL may
be. We wish TO say 10 our
readers that this work is u very inn
portant one. We have had number OF
letters In this Office, and Senator PETER
has received a large nurober OF inquiries
from friends in the state, asking wheth-
er It Is proper and right that they
should answer the questions which have
been submitted 10 them by the superin-
tendent OF the census concerning the
Indebtedness OF their farms and homes.
We answer emphatically that it is prop
er to answer these questions. Cur read
perhaps will remember that when the
subject was being discussed In the last
congress. more than a year ago, the
Kansas Farmer, among other papers
representing the agricultural interests
OF the people, took strong grounds In
favor OF collecting this very informa-
tion, and the Investigations which are
now being made show the Importance OF
II. The people are not aware OF the eX-
tent OF the Indebtedness upon their
homes. IL is understood in a general
way that there Is a great deal Of indebt-
edness in the country. and individual
owners OF farms and homes know just
what the amount OF their individual in
debtedness is: but when we come to look
upon the subject AS one OF general inn
portance, one in which the people as q
mass are interested, and for the general
information, we discover that individual
men and women know very little about
IL. SO It was that when the first apprO-
priation was made for collecting census
reports there was but very limited and
indefinite provision in the law provid
ing for the collection of these mortgage
statistics, and the people, largely
through the influence OF the labor and
the agricultural press. insisted upon an
amendatory or supplementary act, Civ
ing instructions tolthe superintendent Of
the census to collect statistics all over the
country, so as T. make il not only OF gen
eral interest, but satisfactory in its coli
lection OF matter and in its conclusions.
Now we are getting il, and IL is sur
prising 10 see what the result Is. We
hope that our friends in Kansas and all
over the country will regard this mat
ter as one OF personal interest 10 them
selves, and one OF general interest 10
the public, answering all the questions
just as they are asked touching their
Indebtedness. And further, we wish 10
state, as the people will see from the
circular letter as which they are re-
ceiving, that every officer OF the census
bureau is sworn 10 secrecy In this mat
ter, so that IL Is a violation OF the law,
punishable with fine and imprisonment
TO disclose any Of the information which
he receives from the people in their
private capacity through answers 10
their questions and then, when the
answers are received. the figures which
they give are massed along with other
figures. so that when the report is pub
lished TO the world nothing whatever
will be known OF the individuals who
gave the information. It will be mass
ed in one general lump, giving the
totals for counties, the totals for states,
the totals for the entire country, leav-
ing the names OF individual persons
altogether out We wish to say In
conclusion that the census officers, all
OF them, from the first 20 the least,
were perfectly aflable. pleasant and ac-
comodating 20 the editor in giving him
such information as he desired. KAN