Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-02-27
NO CROOKED WORK.
Questions Uncle Sam VIII Ask in
Census Work.
WORK OF GATHERING STATISTICS
Are Compelled to Answer or the Agent
Will Have You Arrested-Penalty
900 Can Ask Almost
Anything.

800 Can Ask Almost l.
Anything.
There will be no crooked work in
the census this year-not il our Uncle
Sam a help it. And all the western
boom towns which have been living
in the glory of padded returns for
the past ten years will be jolted to
q f~areyouwell when the census
enumerator proclaims the result of
his Investigations. Penalties for
crooked work in compiling the twelfth
census have been fixed and every
~precaution taken SO that the work
will be complete and accurate in
every way. The count of noses must
take place between June 1 and July
1, except in cities of over 5000 at
the preceding census, where the work
must begin June / and be completed
Nwithin two weeks. The law restricts
this census to inquiries relating to
the population, mortality, the prod
ucts of agriculture and of manufac-
turing and mechanical establish
ments, SO that if any of the COM
pliers become too forward and ask
any questions outside of this the citi-
zens may kick them in the direction of
the lawn. The work of gathering
statistics with regard to population
and agriculture must be done by
enumerators, and by them alone, ex-
cept that in certain districts the direc-
aor OF supervisor of the census may
direct that the enumerator employ
an Interpreter, who shall be APP
pointed and sworn in the regular man
ner.
Any employe of the census who
having taken and subscribed the
oath, shall, without justifiable cause,
neglect or refuse to perform the du-
ties enjoined upon him, or who shall,
without the authority of the director
of the census, communicate to any
person not authorized to receive the
same any information gained by him
in the performance of his duties, is
guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall
pay a fine not exceeding $500 or be
sfmprisoned in the equivalent. If he
wilfully and knowingly swears falsely
he shall be deemed guilty of perjury
and be subjected upon conviction to
imprisonment not exceeding three
years and a fine not exceeding $500.
SIf he wilfully or knowingly makes a
false certificate or fictitious return
The is guilty of a misdemeanor and
is liable to a fine not exceeding $4,000
hi Imprisonment not exceeding two
years. The latter provision is in
tended to lop off the characteristic
boom town malady of padding the re.
turns.
How the Work IL Handled.
Each ~enumerator must personally
visit each dwelling house in the ter
ritory which has been assigned to
him, and must hunt i'll each family
and each Individual living out of a
family in such district, and by in
aauiry made of the head of the fam
lily or of the member Of the family
deemed most worthy of trust, or of
such individual living out of a fam
lily, to obtain each and every item
Of information required by the law
respecting the compilation of the
In case no person is found
at the usual place Of abode of such
family or individual the enumerator is
privileged TO make inquiries of the per-
son or persons living near such place
pf abode.
Inquiries as to population shall COW
er 1.-THE name of each person. age,
color, sex, whether married or single,
divorced or widowed, place of birth
o the person and his or her parents,
whether alien or naturalized, number
Of years in the United States, occu-
patton. months employed during the
year, literacy, school attendance and
whether he or she owns or rents his
or her home. Each and every person
more than 20 years of age is at the
request OF the enumerator required to
render a true and accurate account
TO the best of his knowledge of his
life as well as those Of other mem
beers of the family so far as the
questions of the enumeration shall con-
Germ them. Wilful failure or refusal
70 render such information constitutes
m-isdemeanor and subjects the cul.
prits to q fine not exceeding 500. Sta
$istics concerning mortality will prob.
ably be collected bp special agents
from death and cemetery records
where, available, otherwise by enumer.
Figures OF Trade.
The same penalties attach to the
answering OF questions concerning ag.
ricultural, manufacturing and me.
chanical statistics. In the rural dis,
tricts residents are required to an.
Ewer relating to their name and oc.
cupation, the tenure by which they
hod their land, acreage of the far1r
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