The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-05-21

| class of citizens was illustrated by the
act of a householder who is about to
| leave the city for the summer. He ap-
preciated the fact that his house would
! be vacant, and called on the census emu
merator for blank schedule, to be
filed out and returned. Few whose
families are about to so out of town for
the summer will put themselves to that
amount of Inconvenience, yet the
| thoughtfulness of that one person will
lessen by one the ten thousand perplex-
tiles that the office will have to face
during the first two weeks in June.
THE POPULATION.
In the matter of the general census of
population, as in the manufacturing
census, all information is for the de-
partment and is confidential. Enume-
rators have no right to communicate to
any person any information obtained by
them in the discharge of their duties,
and a violation of this provision of the
act renders them liable to a fine not eX-
ceeding five hundred dollars. Schedules
when filled out are not to be shown by
enumerators and imperfect copies are to
be destroyed.
With these provisions the individual
citizen may feel reasonably certain that
the information given by MIN is for
publication only in compiled statistics.
and that the enumerators are not out on
idle quests for gossip, to put out at re-
tail. The information as to individuals
is of general value only when it forms
part of & general compilation and capt.
ulation showing general conditions.
Old as the census is however and
generally known as these facts are,
there is still a large number of people to
whom the queries of the enumerators
seem to be but mere impertinence.
The woman who declines to disclose her
age is stern reality Of the enumerator.
Indeed. this question of age and that as
to whether the home is owned free or
mortgaged are two big obstacles in the
way of gathering census statistics, But
in the matter of age the enumerator
has the right to take his own judgment
in case of a refusal to answer and after
being rebuffed he is naturally not in
mood to flatter, so that altogether it is
to the interest of the head of the house
to answer that, as well as all other
questions.
MUST OBEY LAW.
Then, too there is the law, though the
enumerator is instructed not to make
that too prominent. The person refus-
ing to render true account is liable to
a fine not to exceed one hundred dol
lars. However, the bureau does not
hold over citizens the terror of the law,
preferring to reason, and to show that
the census is a very harmless thing.
An official badge is provided for emu
merators, and they are instructed to
wear it during their work In case the
authority of any person is questioned he
is required to display his official badge
and also his commission, which also he
is instructed to carry with him. 1t is
impressed upon those who are to do the
work that much may be done by tact
and persuasion, and that it is of the ut
most Importance that their manner
shall under all circumstances be courte-
Gus and conciliatory; that in no in
stance are they to indulge in alteration
or threats. If after exhausting his pow
ers the enumerator is still unable to OBJ
tain information, he must report to his
superiors who will be instructed what
action to take Enumerators are told
tllES nave lIc IISIlt IlDl OlIly " an an
swer but to a truthful answer, and that
they are not to accept any statement
that they believe to be false.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
Information is to be gathered, in out
lying districts and rural localities, as to
the qualities and values of farm pro-
ducts; the values, extent and owner
ship of farms, number of farm animals
and quantities and value of dairy pro-
ducts, Statistics will also be obtained
relative to indian population persons of
defective sight hearing or speech, and
statistics relating to crime.
The enumerators are also to take NOR
tality statistics. Ten years ago the
board of health was relied upon for
these figures, and it was at first intend
ed to follow that plan in the coming
census. Yesterday, instructions We're
received that enumerators are to in
quire concerning deaths as if no other
record was available. For each record !
Of death taken the enumerator will re-
3eive five cents.
While the bureau does not specifically
say it, the mortality figures will supply
an excellent test of the accuracy of the
census generally, as the bureau of
health has statistics that are accurate,
and as these may be used for compari- |
son. Should there prove to be no impor-
ant discrepancies between the mortali-
" statistics gathered by the enumera-
-ors and those ON file in the bureau of |
health, it will doubtless be safe to infer
hat in other respects the census takers |
nave done work we'll
HORSE SHOW AT |
WISSAHICKON HEIGHTS.