Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-19
ENUMERATORS
NOT TROUBLED
PERSONS ENGAGED IN TAKING
THE CENSUS MAKE NO CON-
PLANT. ABOUT PUBLIC
REGULATIONS STRICT

. . NJ .
thorlty Of Persons Enumerat'ns
Dare Not Divulse
Information.
While some cities report that the
census enumerators are meetlng WIZ
more or less difficulty in securing IN
formation needed from persons cailee
on In the various districts, OttumWahs
approached have in a general way pee.
very sensible in the manner IN Whlcl
thew have received the enumerators
So satisfactory has the enumeratlol
been thus far that Supervisor w. n. n
Asbury is of the most optimistic mooo
and sanguine as to the prospect LOT
successful and early close OF the cen
sus work In the Sixth district. NC
great annoyance is reported by any
of the enumerators in this district and
this. says Mr.. Asbury, shows the goou
sense Of the people IN this sectlon
Some few refusals have been met VIII
by the enumerators, but when the put'
pose of the questions have been maoe =
plain and the enumerators displayed
their badge and commission from lhe
government. the answers have been
Forthcoming. It is becoming pretty
generally known that the enumerators
have no other purpose than the exef-
else Of their duty in asking for the IN
formation and that they dare not al
vulge any Of the private information
given them, nor can this Information
be used in any manner aside from the
use Given It by the census department
of the federal government. Excerpts
from the regulations governing the
census enumeration show the follow
ing:
"The penalty for refusing to give
census information is fine not ex-
ceeding $500" @
.The penalty for willful Justification
of the returns is a fine not exceeding
$4,000" +
"Enumerators communicating any
information regarding the census are
liable to fine. not exceeding $1,000"
Must Answer Questions.
Rules IA, Is and 16 governing the
enumerators explain their authority as
follows: l. l,
I'm case your authority is disputed,
show your official badge, and also your
commission, which you should carry
with you. But it Is Of the utmost I'M
portance that your manner should,
under all circumstances, be courteous
and conciliatory. In no instance
should you lose your temper or In
dulge In disputes or threats. Much can
be done by tact and persuasion. Many
persons will give information after q
nights reflection which they refuse
to give when first visited.
Should any person object to an
swering any question upon the SEIZED.
ules, you should explain that the In
formation is strictly confidential, that
1t will not be communicated to any
person whatever, and that no use Will
be made of it which can In any way
injuriously affect the interests of In
dividuals. After all other means have
failed, call the attention Of the per-
son refusing to give information to
the penalty in section % Of the census
act. Should the person still refuse to
give the information, enter in the
proper column or space the words,
Refused to answer and report the
facts to your supervisor.
Untruthful Replies.
''You have right not only to an an,
swer, but to truthful answer. Do not
accept any statement which you be-
lieve to be false. Where you know
that the answer is incorrect, enter
upon the schedule the fact as nearly
as you can ascertain 1t.
Section % Of the census act pre-
scribes the duty Of persons who are
approached by the enumerators and
fixes the penalty for a refusal to an
swer questions or for giving false re-
plies. The section is as follows:
1T shall be the duty of all persons
oWer twenty-one years Of age when
requested by the director of the cen
sus, or by any supervisor, enumerator
or special agent, or other. employee Of
the census Office, acting under the
Instructions of the said director, to
answer correctly, to- the best of their
knowledge, all questions on the census
schedules applying to themselves and
to the family to which they belong or
are related and to farm or farms Of
which they or their family are the oc-
cupants; and any person over twenty
one years of age who under the con-
ditions hereinbefore stated, shall re-
fuse or willingly neglect to answer any
Of these questions, or shall willfully
give answers that are false, shall be
guilty Of misdemeanor, and upon
conviction thereof shall be fined not
exceeding one hundred dollars"
+ >%>>->>->->>->->- ~&<<>~<><>-> +
. ass PENNINGTON. =
= i
Mrs Sidney Kirby of Cotton, Calf,
arrived Monday evening for a weeks
visit with her cousins, Mrs. Conrad
Hassler and Mrs VIM. Goodin.
Elias Prunty has moved into the
Dillon property on Second street.