Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1900-07-12
\ AK1NG THE CENSUS.
The Present System is CnObjectiOn-
able in Every Rcspcct-Pnrtic.
ularx of the Work.


The census Office expects to spend
not les, than $4 100000 for the mere
enumeration of the people of the Unit
ed Sta IS. So immense is the force nee
essaril. employed on this work, and
so hea'y the expenditures during the
period If initial activity, that congress
is now requiring the disbursing clerk
of tho census office. minor official,
at alary of $4,000, to increase his
bond temporarily to the penal sum of
$2o0.(o0. says the New York Sun.
Tie army of enumerators who go
forth with their notebooks and pencils
numbers nearly $4,000 in the rank
AMI nile alone. The staff. the special
agents and the clerical force at head
quarters swell the total to $4,000. This
Is nearly as many men as we have in
he Philippines. Before the twe4s1h
census is complee, the last volume of
statistics printeo and bound it will
probably have cost $4,000 900. or more
than the total expenditures of the gov
eminent for all pu poses. including in
terest on public debt. in the Year 1880,
when the fifth Gems is was taken
The constitution require. that the
people of the United Statea shall be
counted every ten years for the appor-
tionment of represent,tiv ives end direct
taxes. From this require mrnt of
general poll there has grown up an
elaborate system of Statistical inquiry,
partly useless. partly fantastic and re-
sponsive merely to the hims of cranlls
and theorists in congr, S and outside,
sometimes inquisitorial and Offensive.
but, in the main, of unqucsticnable
scientific and pract,ca; value. 1t is
not likely that the revolving years will.
witness return to the simple enumer-
alton OF inhabitants contemplated by
the constitution.
The schedule of questi MS which the
census takers will now present lacks
the outrageous features of personal
inonisition which stirred the people
10 righteous wrath ten yelrs ago The
gentleman who will cal is not in
structed this time to prN into he in
inmate secrets of your health and pocl-
etbook. The women OF Your family
Will not be questioned. in the alleged
interest of medical science. as to the
nature of their ailments. You will nst
be asked whether YOU are a convict or
a Pauper. You will not be informed.
in the name of the law. that if YOU are
suffering from an acute or chronic dis
ease you must disclose it. You will
not be required to catalogue specifical.
~ the physical defects OF yourself,
Your wife and Your children. You will
not be threatened with prosecution in
the federal courts if yol refuse to inn
part TO the census taker the amount
YOU owe on mortgage. crop lien. con-
tesslon of Judgment or Judgment note,
together with the rate of interest,",
your estimate of the value OF the mort
gagged property, and the causes and
purposes of the indebtedness.
Incredible as it may seem now, all of
these outrageous inquiries were in the
scheme of the eleventh census, the can
sus OF 1890. The Sun was forced to
protest against them ten wears ago
in defense of the personal rights of
American citizenship, and to advise its
friends to resist the attempted inva-
sion OF the sanctity of private affairs
Its advice was sustained by the opinion
OF some of the most eminent constitu-
,ional lawyers in the country. and was
so generally followed by the people
that the ridiculous idea of turning he
constitutional enumeration into a per-
sonal jnquisition, and transforming
| he off, irto
bureau has been Abandoned probably
| forever.
None OF the enormities which rem
dered the eleventh census not able and
IN some respects infamous appear in
the plan of the twelfth census manage
menf. The only remaining trace of
the inquisitorial features of ten wears
ago is found in question % of the
schedule. which inquiries of house own
ers whether their property is free or
mortgaged. AS the fact of Il mortgag
is matter of record. ascertainable
elsewhere. the question is in no sense
an attempt to force a disclosure. and
prompt and frank reply will merely
be a convenience to the census office.
| he question should be answered with
| out hesitation. All the o'her questions
on this years schedule are noffensive
and unquestionably legitimate.
The Sun is glad to be able to assure
| its readers that the twelfth census is
an nnobjectionable enterprise You
may welcome the visit of the enumer-
ator this time without apprehension
or anything unpleasant you may facl-
itate his work to the best of YOUR
power as a good citizen should and dis
miss him with kind wishes as he pro-
ceeds with the enrolment of this ma
ton S population and resources.