Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1910-03-04
Wrong Views OF this Census.
70 Harm Can Come to Any Person Who An
swers the Questions.


No Harm Gao Come to Any Person Who An
swsrs the Questions.
Washington, ID. C. March 2, 1910.
Letters from the census supervisors to
the United States Census Bureau show
the erroneous apprehension of u consid.
cradle element of the population that
their answers to the enulnsrators gues-
tons in the next census, beginning April
10, this year, will cause Increased taxa
ton, legal sutanglements, or Injurious
consequences to their persons aud prop
erty.
In order to quiet such unfounded fears
which would, unless removed, materially
affect the accuracy of the census, the bu-
reau has prepared an official statement
relative 70 the decennial census, its
origin, purpose and uses.
This statement should furnish com.
plete assurance to those concerned that
information given the enumerators liz
held by the Census Bureau in the
strictest confidence with reference to the
Identity Of the iuformants, as required
by the policy of the bureau and con-.
manded by the law of the United States
The bureau earnestly hopes that cler-
gymen, priests, physicians, school-teach-
ers, employers, aud other public-spirited
citizens who come 10 contact With large
numbers of people, will cooperate With
the bureau by telling persons who are
believed to entertain erroneous opinions
of the census the real facts aud urgiL z
them to give full replies to the enumera.
tors. Teachers are particularly request.
Cd to speak OF the census to the school
children aud ask them to tell their par
ents about it.
The statement Issued by the bureau
explains that the constitution requires a
census OF the population to be taken
every tsn years in order to reappOrtiou
state representation in the National
HOUSE Of Representatives. IL 10 the
means also TO ascertain the increase in
the population, agriculture, industries,
aud resources Of the nation aimee the
last census.
I 1t is emphaticaily declared. BY the
statement that the information sough,
from the people of the United States ia
used solely for general Statistical pur-
poses. IT wilt neither be published nor
used in any other way to disclose facts
regarding any individual or enterprise
The census, it goes on 10 say, is not,
never has been, and can not be employed
to obtain information that can DO used
in any way in the assessment Of property
for purposes Of taxation or the colisctiou
of taxes, either nstionai, state, or local
or for deportation proceedings, sxtrsdi.
ton measures, army or navy consumption
intsrnai-revenus Investigations, compul
sorry school attendance, child-lAbor law
} prosecutions, quarantine regulations, o,
in any way to effect the life, liberty, o,
! property of any person.
II points out that replies to the emu.
merators are and must be held by the
Census Bureau in strict and absolute
!, confidence. All the bureau officials
supervisors, supervision clerks, enamsra.
tors and interpreters, before entering
} upon their duties, are obliged to take a
solemn oath not to disclose any intor,na.
ton they may obtain, except to the
Census Bureau, and violation of the
) United States law in regard to this oath
means 81, 900 fine or imprisonment for
two years, or both, in the discretion OF
the court