The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-06-02

Penalty For Refusal To
Answer Them.
Why the Census Is Taken and
Facts Regarding II.

The census enumerators begun work
yesterday in every city, town and haimet
in the United States. Every house In the
land is to be visited by these enumerators
during the next two weeks though In the
rural districts month Is allowed for the
work. Portland has twenty-one young
men duly commissioned as enumerators
while there are geo In this census district
which comprises the counties of Andro-
scoggin, Cumberland, Franklin, Knox,
Kennebec, Lincoln, Oxford, Sagadahoc
and York. Besides these there are twenty
one special agents. The purpose OF the
census Is to secure proper representation
of the States In Congress and on the re-
suit of this census is the representation
made up. 1t is feared that Maine viii
lose one congressman when the new ap-
j portionment is made. In taking this CEN
sus certain other questions regarding the
| condition and character Of the population
are asked. There Is penalty fixed for
failure to answer questions put by the
enumerators.
The questions to be answered by each
person are given below. Several Of them
may not be answerable off hand; so 1t
may be well to think up the answers In
advance, to save your own time, and that
Of the enumerator;
1.-City.
/ a.-Street and number of residence.
Shame, surname, Christian and mid
die initial only are required.
4.-Relation to head of family. This re-
fers to the family relationship, father,
mother, son, servant, boarder, lodger, etc.
5.-Color or race3 The answer desired
are white, black, Chinese, japanese, or
Indian.
| 6.-Sex. $3.50
date of BIRTH Only the month of
birth and year are required.
Sage at last birthday. This answer
is included in the former, but saves time
| for the enumeration, and is a check.
9.-whether single, married, widowed
or divorcedf
10.-Number of years married to present
husband or wife only.
11.-Mother of how many childrenY
Fathers are not requested to answer as re-
CARDS their paternity.
12.-Number of children living whether
at home or elsewhere.
| 13.-Place Of birth. II In the United
States, the state or territory. II not, then
the foreign country, not city or district
where born, and II born abroad, or at sea,
Of American parentage, that fact is to be
specially recorded.
14-Place of birth of father. Country
desired only.
I5.-Place of birth of mother. Ditto.
| 16.-Year Of immigration to the United
States.
7.-Number of years In the United
States. If born in this country no answer
is required.
Standardization. Are you an alien,
naturalized, or have you taken out your
first paperss
19.-Occupation or profession. Enumer-
ators have been requested to be very par
ticular in reporting this item to state II
clerk In what kind Of a store; II a stenog-
rapher, in what kind of business, grain,
department or hardware store; II sales
man, whether dry goods, jewelry, or
otherwise; teacher, matron or governess,
| etc., as the case may be.
O.-Months not employed. This applies
to the census year only from June l, 1889
to May 81, 1900.
| 2l.-Number of months attended school
during census year. This question applies
only to scholars and students.
22.-Can you readf Any language. not
necessarily English.
2s-Can you write any language; not
necessarily English
24.-Can you speak Englishf
l6.-Is home owned or rentedf Only the
this question.
26.-If home is owned Is 1t free or mort
gagedf If the house you live in is owned
by you, answer free or mortgaged as the
case may be. Ground rents, 1t should be
understood, are considered as mortgages.
In addition to this the enumerator Is
required to ascertain whether death oc-
CURED In the house during the last CEN
sus year (that ending May 81, 1900 and
II so the date and month Of birth and
date of death, cause Of death, that is the
specific disease that resulted In death,
and the name Of the attending physician.
This information is required by an
amendment to the original census act
and the data is being gathered for the
benefit of the medical fraternity. The
physicians name is required to enable
the enumerator to consult him as to the
technical designation of the fatal sick
ness
Another inquiry is as TO whether any
person in the family or household Is
AFFLICTED with deafness, defective eyesight
or loss of speech. Mere wearing of glasses
does not signify defective eyesight, but
If the person cannot get about without
cropping his way, that is classed as blind
neas. II artificial means are used to as