Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-29
Director of the Census Gives More
Information.
QUESTIONS ASKED ARE NOT USELESS
The Returns Will show Many Things
Among Them Being Whether the
the Average Length of Lie is
Increasing or Decreasing,

Il uc DlStlh SCueuuleS 10 DC uSeQ III
the next census are now being distrib-
uted by the census office to the enum-
orators, who will start to work on
June l. The schedules contain ques-
tions which some persons may think
prying, purposeless or excessive in
number. But their number and char
acter have been determined by con-
gress, not by the census office, and all
of them have been asked in previous
censuses The only important change
been abandoned.
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 colored children and the short life
OF the negroes under present condi-
tions. They make it possible to ascer-
,
life is increasing or decreasing, how
many men. the nation contains who
are capable of voting or bearing arms,
and whether the relative number Of
children 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
Int in, DIV trio y,
the sexes are regarded as on an equal
ity, such unwillingness does not ap-
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
statistics show flat we can not ex-
plain the great excess of males lover
one and a half million Yin the United
States by immigration alone, for when
the foreign born are left out OF rae
count, there are still above 100000
more males than females.
Few would dispute the necessity for
asking questions regarding race. All
arguments regarding the future Of any
particular race in this country, like
the Indian, the negro, or the China
man, must hinge upon the returns in
the census. With the Indians, more
over, it is of the highest Importance
to learn what success the policy of the
government has met with in establish
ing them apart from their tribes and
reservations, and whether such Indians
are increasing or decreasing.
Some mothers may shrink from stat
ing the number. of children they have
and the number who are living. But
from the answers to these questions,
the country will learn whether the
native American population is holding
It's own, or whether, as some have
claimed, it is being gradually supplant-
ed and displaced by the children of re-
cent immigrants.
Intthe light of such explanations,
and only a few of the most important
questions 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 answered, will not lead TO
suggestive differences regarding the
American people and their work.
The farmers and land owners of Wa
pello and adjoining counties will be
saved a great deal of timetand trouble
when the census enumeration comes
around in June, if between now and
that time they will put on their think
ing caps and at odd moments prepare
answers to the following questions
which will be propoupded by the
enumerators. 1t is presumed that the
enumerators will be men of discre-
ton and good Judgment and there is
no reason why farmers and business
men should not cooperate with them.
The following are extracts from the
instructions contained in schedule No.
2, agriculture:
''The information reported on this
schedule will not be used as a basis of
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