Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1900-05-26
CENSUS INFORMATION.
Some of the Questions the Census
Enumeration Will Ask.

| EnunGEdIOT VIII fASMs
The blank schedules to be used in
the next census are now being dis,
tributed by the Census office to the
enumerators, who will start TO work
on June l. The schedules contain
questions which some persons may
think prying, purposeless, or excess
| i've in number. But their number
aud character have been determined
| by Congress, not by the Census
Office, and all of them have been
asked in previous censuses, The only
important change since 1890 is that
some questions have been aban-
doned. ~... ~.
People are often offeuded at the
question:, "How old are you" and
are apt to wonder what use the Gov.
eminent can make of their replies.
Taken as a whole the replies are as
important as any class of information
the Census Office collects. Age re-
turns penetrate and elucidate every
other branch of statistical knowledge.
They show where child labor is pre-
valent, and where the the proportion
oil persons able to support themselves
is large or small. They reveal the
great number of colored children
and the short life or the negroes un-
der the present conditions. They
make it possible tc determine
whether the average length of life
is increasing or decreasing, how MANY
men the nation contains who are cap
able of voting or bearing arms, and
whether the relative number of
children is increasing or decreacing.
In Mohammedan or semi-civilized
countries like India householders are
often unwilling to answer the ques-
tions regarding the sex of the petc
sons in the house, but in civilized
countries where the sexes are re-
garded as on an equality, such uu-
willingness does not appear. The
answers to the questions show that
in nearly all cities the females on :
number the males and that the same
is true Of most the states ong the
Atlantic coast. The belief is wide
spread that taking the world in gen
eral there are more females alive at
any given time than there are males
and that if it we're not for immigra-
ton there would be more females in
the United States than males. But
census statistics show that we can
not explain the great excess of males
lover Que and half million) in the
United States alone by immigration,
for when the foreign born sre left out
of account, there are still above 600,
600 more males than females.
Few would dispute the necessity OF
asking questions regarding race. All
arguments regarding the future OF
any particular race in this country,
like the Indian, the Negro, or the
Chinaman, must hinge upon the re-
turns in the census. With the Indi-
ans, moreover, it is of the highest i'm
portance to learn what success the
policy of the government has met
with in establishing them apart from
their tribes and reservations, and
whether such Indians are increasing
or decreasing.
Some mothers may shrink stating
the number of children they have had
and the numoer who are living. But
from the answer to these question 8
the country will learn whether the
native American POPULATION is hold
ing its own, or whether, as some have
claimed. it is becoming gradually
supplanted aud displaced by the
children of recent immigrants.
In the light of such explanations
and only a few of the most import
ant questions haye been touched
. upon, it may be clear to the public
that no question has been ordered by
Congress or has been asked by thu
Census Office which, if properly
answered. will not lead to suggestive
differences regarding the American
people and their work.