The Ordway new era., 1910-02-18
LIVE STOCK ON RANGES
absolutely Confidential 7reotsnenf OF
tho answers Gjvsn to the
Census Enumeraf0rs

The United States Census Bureau is
making extraordinary preparations to
ascertain the approximately exact
number and value of live stock on the
ranges In the United States on April
Is next, the date Of the livestock in.
vcntory, AS required by the act OF
Congress providing for the Thirteenth
Decennial Census.
Fearful that for one reason or an
other the livestock raisers may be
deferred from freely stating the num-
Der and value OF their holdings, the
Census Bureau Is excrting unusual
efforts to assure the ranchmen and
farmers, especially OF the western
range states, that their interests,
whether personal or corporate, eau
not possibly be affected in any way by
their frank and full disclosure OF their
livestock possessions. The infOrma-
tion gathered by the Census Office is
held strictly confidential not only in
respect to the fact that under no cir
cumstanccs Is 1t ever impaired to any
one not connected with the Census
Office, but In respect to It's ever being
given to any other branch OF the
Government.
ASSURANCE OF SECRECY
"In behalf OF the Census Bureau"
today said Assistant Director William
F. Willoughby, II can give as positive
assurance OF the confidential treat
mcnt OF information called for by the
livestock questions In the general
agricultural schedule as l could II u
confidence were TO be imposed upon
me personally and privately. The
Census Bureau Is concerned only in
the collection and publication OF sta
tistical facts. The spirit OF every act
OF Congress providing for the various
decennial censuses has been, and Is,
that the Information as to individuals.
firms and corporations is TO be given
inyiolabie secrecy. 1t Is rs much
privileged Information rs that i'm
parted by client u lawyer. by a
patient to a physician, by a dying man
to a minister. 1t can not even be im.
parted to another branch Of the Fed
cral Government, no matter how
much the information may be desired.
No court ever has or ever will ignore
this immunity from personal or busi-
ness involvement bestowed In return
for Information required by United
States Census inquiries. To do other
wise would impair, II not wholly
destroy, the scientific efficiency Of the
census work. So far aS the live stock
census l. concerned, the bureau, fol-
lowing fair, impartial. and unbiased
methods, quickly separates the person.
tirm or corporation from the facts
furnished, and private or corporate
identity in connection with any cen.
s,is data remains forever scaled and
sacred in the great safes OF the Census
Ohlcc."
TIE DIRECTORS HErOKT
In his annual report for 1909 TO Sec
retary Nagel. OF the Department Of
Commerce and Labor, Census Director
Durand stated:
"'rhc thirteenth census act Is more
specific than that for the Twelfth
Census with respect to penalties upon
supervisors. enumcratOrs, or other
employees who disclose information
which they secure, or who make false
returns. While there Is no evidence
that employees OF the Census Bureau
in the past have been guilty OF i'm
proper disclosure OF information-cx.
cept. possibly, In a very few Cases
these more specific provisions for pen.
altics are highly advantageous. Al.
though the census law requires persons
intcrrogatcd to furnish the informa-
tion called for on the duly authorized
schedules. reliance for prompt and
accurate returns must rest largely
upon the good will "f those making
the returns. Manufacturers. farmers.
and others will not freely disclose the
needed information unless they feel
assured that IT. will he treated in strict
confidence. The Census Bureau cA.sts
solely for the collection e.: general
statistics, and Is not, and shoald not be.
an instrument for disclosing the af-
fairs OF individual persons, firms. or
corporations. Returns made by the
Census Bureau are in no case publish
ed in such "A way aS tn identify the
business operations Of individual per
sons or concerns. nor are they disclosed
to any person aside from employees "f
the bureau itself not even to other
departments Of the Government or to
other bureaus OF the Department OF
Commerce and Labor"