Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1900-11-16
THETWELFTHCENS
Interesting Particulars Of the Pres
snt System.
u Il - Usehsssttenahis nssss~rtss
anA nauHsrators shoula Ne wei
eOuasd bv tAe People - Ne
O2snsavs ousstiOns.

i0 CgnHun OAutN CAR~~t1 w TlNff"
not less than e%.ooo,ooo for tho mere
enumeration OF the people OF the Gnit-
ed States. So immense 10 the force nee
essarily employed on this work, and
so heavy the expenditures during tho
period OF initial activity. that congress
IL now requiring the disbursing clerk
OF the census Office. . minor official.
mt salary Of $500. 10 increase bis
bond temporarily to the penal Suln ~
$3.50. 900. says the New York Sun.
The army OF enumeratora who go
forth with their notebooks and pencils
numbers nearly $4,000 In the rank
and nile alone The stan. the special
agents and tho clerical force at head
quarters swell the total to $4,000. This
is nearly as many men as We have in
the Philippines. Before the twelfth
census is complete. the last volume OF
Atatistics printed and bound. u will
probably have cost sio. .ooo,o 900, or mors
than tho total expenditures OF the gov
ernment for all purposes, including In
tcrest on public debt, In the year 1890.
when the NTH census was taken
The constitution requires thai tha
people Of the United States shall be
counted every ten years for the appor
tonment OF representatives and direct
taxes. From this requirement OF
general poll there has grown up an
elaborate system OF statistical Inquiry.
partly useless, partly fantastic and re.
sponsive merely to the whimk Of cfanka
and theorists In congress and outside,
sometimes inquisitorial and offensive.
hut, in the main. OF unqueStionabls
scientific and practscaf value. II is
not likely that the revolving years win
witness return to the simple enumar-
alton of inhabitants contemplated by
the constitution.
The schedule of questions which the
census takers will now present lacks
the outrageous features of personal
inquisition which stirred the people
20 righteous wrath ten years ago. Tho
gentleman who will call IL not In
structed this time TO pry into the In
innate secrets of your health and peck
etbook. The women Of your family
will not be questioned, in the alleged
interest Of medical science. NJ to the
nature OF their ailments You will nat
be- asked whethor you are convict 81
n pauper. You will not be informed,
In the name Of the law, that II you are
suffering from an acute or chronic dis
ease you must disclose II. You will
not be required TO catalogue specifcal-
~ the physical defects OF yourself,
your wife and your children. You viii
not be threatened with prosecution in
the federal courts II you refuse to im-
part to the census takcr The amount
you owe on mortgage. crop lien, con
fession 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 ms II may seem now. all of
these outrageous inquiries were In the
scheme Of the eleventh census. the cen
sus OF 1890 The Sun was forced to
protest against them ten years ago
In defense Of the personal rights Oh
American citizenship. and 10 advise IL
friends to resist the attempted invA-
sion OF the snnctity Of private Affairs
Its advice was SUSTAINED By the opinion
OF some Of the most eminent constitu.
tional lawyers In the country. and mas
no generally followed by the peorle
that the ridiculous idea Of turning the
constitutional enumeration into a per
sonal inquisition, and transforming
the census Office into detective
bureau has been abandoned, probably
forever. ~
None Of the enormitics which rem
dcred the eleventh census notable mud
In some respects infamous appear IN
the plan OF the twelfth census nanaRe.
ment. The only remaining trace q
the inquisitorial features OF ten yeera
ago IL found In question 90 Of the
schedule, which inquiries OF house own.
ers whether their property is free or
mortgnged. Az the fact Of n mortgage
IL matter OF record nsccrtainable
elsewhere. the question Is in no sense
an attempt 10 force a disclosure. ana
prompt and frank reply viii mer,lv
bc convenience to the census office.
The question should be answered with
out hesitation All the other questions
on this years schedule are inoirensive
and unquestionably legitimate
The Sun Is glad to he able TO assure
It's readers that the twelfth census IL
an unobjecfionable enterprise. yon
may welcome the visit OF the ennmsr-
ator this time without apprehension
or anything unpleasant. you may facil
itate his work to the best OF your
power Ms a good citizen should. and dis-
miss him with kind wishes as he pro
ceeds with the enrolment Of this ne
tons population and resources.
49,