The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-05-25
CENSUS QUERIES

The blank schedules to be used in the
next census are now being distributed
by the census Office to the enumerators
who will start to work on June l. The
schedules contain questions which
some persons may think prying, pur-
poseless, or excessive in number. But
their number and character have been
determined by Congress. not by the
Census Office, and all of them have
been asked in previous censuses. The
only important change since 1890 is
that some questions have been aband-
oned.
People are often offended at the ques-
ton, "How old are your" and are apt
to wonder what use the Government
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
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 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 cap
able of voting or of bearing arms, and
whether the relative number of child
rem 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 on an equality,
such unwillingness does not appear.
| The answers to the questions show that
in nearly all cities the females out.
number the males and that the same is
true of most of the states along the
Atlantic coast. The belief is wide
spread that taking the world in general
J there are more females alive at any
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
that we cannot explain the great excess
of males lover one and half million)in
the United States by immigration
alone, for when foreign-born are left
out of account, there are still above
800, 900 more males than females.
Few would dispute the necessity fol
asking questions regarding race. All
arguments regarding the future of any
particular race in this country, like the
Indian, the negro the Chinaman, must
hinge upon the returns in the census
With the Indians, moreover, it is of the
highest Importance to learn what sue
cess the policy of the Government has
met with in establishing them apart
, from their tribes and reservations and
whether such Indians are increasing Of
decreasing.
/, Some mothers my shrink from stat
. ing the number of children they have
had and the number living. But from
the answers of these questions. the
country will learn whether the native
!, American population is holding its
own, or whether, as some have claimed
it is being gradully supplanted and dis.
placed by the children of recent immi
grants
In the light of such explanations, and
, only few of the most important CUES
) tions have been touched upon, it may
! perhaps be clear to the public that nc
| question has been asked by the Con
: gress, 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