The Oskaloosa herald., 1900-05-24
TAXING THE CENSUS
Work Of Counting the People
Will Begin June i.

A.
The work Of taking the census Of
oskaloosa and Mahaska county, to
be compiled with the reports from
each section of the United States,
will be begun on June1 /. Oskaloosa's
e~numerators have received their in
structions from the governments,
which r very exhaustive and com
plete. The work win have to be done
in a hurry in the cities, and it hardly
seems from the number of census
takers appoint I for Oskaloosa that
the work Gun completed, and done
well, in the II le allotted. June 15is
the time set for the completion Of
the work in the cities. The rural
districts, however, have more time.
The intervening Sundays between
the LIST and 18th are also included in
the count, so that the actual number
Of working days are only thirteen.
1t is doubtful il the majority of peo-
pie really comprehend what the CEN
sustaining means for the city. The
task. of the ~enumerators is not the
most pleasant in the world, and
usually they meet with many rebuffs
and in some instances are actually
snubbed. This was the condition of
affairs that confronted the enumera-
tors at the time of taking the last
census ten years ago, but it is thought
Judging from the list of questions
furnished, that this year the govern
ment's employees will not have such
a difficult undertaking. The ques-
tions r more civil, are not so in
quisitive, and yet the ground will be
covered equally as we'll as the last
time.
The Questions.
The following &c questions will be
asked by the enumerators:
1. Surname, christian name, in
itial.
2. Residence, street, number of
house.
8. Relationship of each member
to the head,of the family.
4. Color or race.
8. Sex.
6. Age at last birthday.
z. Day, month and year, when
born.
g.. Are you single, married,
widow, widower, or divorced?
8. Number of years married.
10. How many children?
IL. Number CT children living.
~. Sex of these children.
10. Where were you born? If in
the United States, give state or ter
r~itory;>if of foreign birth, give name
of the country only.
IA. Where was your father born?
Your mother? (Same condition as
the foregoing.)
Is. If Of foreign birth, when did
you come to the United States?
II. Have you been naturallzed?
How many years since you became
a citizen?
Is. What is your occupation, trade
or profession? This question ap-
plies to persons ten years of age or
over.)
10. How many months during the
year are you employed?
20. How many months have you
attended school?
81. Can you read2
%. Can you write?
%. Give the main facts
ing your education.
"a. Do you own the house in which
you live?
25. Do you rent the house in which
you live?
20. If you own the house, is it
free or mortgaged? (The same ques.
tions apply to farms.)
After the work begins there will be
no information given out by any of
the enumerators, they being warned
to that effect by the instruction slips
issued by Uncle Sam and notified
that they are liable to a fine of $500
Or three years imprisonment if the
rule is disobeyed. This, of course,
applies particularly to men enumera-
tors who ''give away'' the ages of
unmarried women residing in their
districts. The census-takers are also
cautioned against telling assessors
regarding property ofaindividuals in
case such property is being kept from
the assessors eyes to avoid taxation,