The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-05-25
chow OLD ARE YOU2"
One Of the Questions Census Enumer-
atOrs WEI Put TO You.

The blank schedules to be used in the
next census are now being distributed
by Census Supervisor Ora Morris to the
enumerators. who will start to work on
June / The schedules contain questions
which some persons may think prying,
purposeless. or excessive in number. But
their number and character have been
determined by congress, not by the CEN
sus office and all of them have been
asked in previous censuses. The only
important change since 1890 is that some
questions have been abandoned.
People are often offended at the ques-
ton, How old are you?" 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 knowl-
edge. They show where child labor is
large or small. They reveal the great
number of colored children and the short
life Of the negroes under the present con-
ditions. They make it possible to ascer-
tain whether the average length of life
is increasing or decreasing. how many
Of voting or Of bearing arms. and wheth-
er the relative number Of children is in
creasing or decreasing
In Mohammedan or semi-civilized coun-
tries like India householders are often
unwilling to answer the question regard
ing the sex of persons in the house but
in civilized countries where the sexes are
regarded as on an equality, such unwil-
lingness does ont appear. The answers
to the question show that in nearly all
cities the females outnumber the males
and that the same IS true Of most of the
states along the Atlantic coast. The be-
lief is widespread that taking the world
in general there are more females alive
at any time than males, and that If 1t
were not for immigration theer would y
moro females in the United States than
males. But census statistics show that
we can not explain the great excess OF
males lover one and a half million) in
the United States by immigration alone,
for when the foreign born are left out Of
account. there are still 900 more males
than females.
Few would dispute the necessity for
asking questions regarding race. All ar
suments regarding the future of any
particular race in this country. like the
Indian. the negro o rthe Chinaman, must
hinge upon the returns in the census.
With the Indians. moreover. It is Of the
highest importance to learn what success
the policy Of the government has met
with I'm establishing them apart from
their tribes and reservations, and wheth-
er such Indians are increasing or de-
creaslng.
Some mothers may shrink from stating
the number Of children they have had
and the number who are living. But
from the answers to the questions the
country VIII learn whether the native
American population Is holding its own.
or whether. as some have claimed. It IS
being gradually supplanted and displaced
by the children Of recent immigrants
In the light Of such explanations. and
only few Of the most important ques-
/ tons have been touched upon. Il may
perha - be clear to the public that no
question has been ordered by congress.
or has been asked ny the census Office
which. II properly and correctly an
swered, will not lead 70 suggestive in
/ ferences regarding the American people
and their work.