The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1900-07-19
QUESTIONS OF THE CENSUS.
Some at Which the People Take OF.
fense-Object of the Enumera-
ton and other Points.

The blank schedules used in the
census contain questions which some
persons may think prying, purpose
less or excessive in number. But their
number and character have been de-
termined by congress, not by the CEN
sus office, and all of them have been
asked in previous censuses. The only
important change since 1890 is that
some questions have been abandoned,
says the Troy Times.
People are often offended at the
question, "How old are you?" and are
apt to wonder what use the govern
ment can make of their replies. Taken
as a whole, the replies are as important
as any class of information the census
office collects. Age returns penetrate
and elucidate every other branch of
statistical knowledge. They show
where child labor is prevalent, and
where the proportion of persons able
to support themselves is large or small.
They reveal the great number of col
ored children and the short life of the
negroes under present conditions.
They make it possible to ascertain
whether the average length of life is
increasing or decreasing, how many
men the nation contains who are capa-
BILE of voting or bearing arms, and
whether the relative number of chill
dren is increasing or decreasing.
In Mohammedan or semi-civiliZed
countries like India householders are
often unwilling to answer the question
regarding the sex of persons in the
house, but in civilized countries where
the sexes are regarded as on an equal
fly, such unwillingness does not APP
pear. The answers to the questions
show that in nearly all cities the fe
males outnumber the males, and that
the same is true of most of the states
along the Atlantic coast. The belief is
widespread that taking the world in
general, there are more females alive
at any given time than males, and that
if it were not for immigration there
would be more females in the United
States than males. But census statis-
tics show that we cannot explain the
great excess of males lover 1,500,O O0)
in the United States by immigration
alone, for when the foreign-b born are
left out of account, there are still 6O0,-
900 more males than females.
Few would dispute the necessity for
asking questions regarding race. All
arguments regarding the future of any
particular race is this country, like the
Indian, the negro or the Chinaman,
must hinge upon the returns in the
census. With the Indians, moreover, it
is of the highest Importance to learn
what success the policy of the govern
ment has met with in establishing
them apart from their tribes and res
ervations, and whether such Indians
are increasing or decreasing.
Some mothers may shrink from stat
ing the number of children they have
had and the number who are living.
But from the answers to these ques-
tons, the. country will learn whether
the native American population is hold
ing its own, or whether, as some have
claimed, it is being gradually sup
planted and displaced by the children
of recent immigrants.
In the light of such explanations, and
only few of the most important ques-
tons have been touched upon, it may
perhaps be clear to the public that no
question has been ordered by congress
or has been asked by the census Office
which, if properly and correctly an
swered, will not lead to suggestive in
ferences regarding the American peo-
nile and fhnir 1,rnrl,