The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-03-03
WRONG VIEWS OF The CENSUS
No Harm Can Come 10 Any Person
Who Answers the Questions.

Letters from the census supervisors
to the United. States Census Bureau
show the erroneous apprehension Of a
considerable element of the population
that their answers to the enumerators
questions IN the next census, beginning
April Is, this year, will cause increased
taxation, legal entanglements, or in
furious consequences TO their persons
ana property.
In order TO quiet such unfounded
fears, which would, unless removed,
materially affect the accuracy Of the
census, the bureau has prepared an Of
fetal statement relative to the decen-
NAL census, it origin, purpose, and
uses.
This statement should furnish com
plete assurance to those concerned that
information given the enumerators is
held by the Census Bureau in the strict
est confidence with reference 10 the
identity of the informants, as required
by the policy Of the bureau and com
manded by the law Of the United States.
| The bureau earnestly hopes that cler
gymen, priests, physicians, school
teachers. employers and other public
spirited citizens who come in contact
with large numbers Of people, will Co
operate with the bureau by telling per
sons who are believed to entertain err
roneous opinions of the census the real
facts and urging them TO give full re-
/ plies to the enumerators. Teachers are
/ particularly requested to speak Of the
census to the school children and ask
them to tell their parents about it.
The statement issued by the bureau
explains that the Constitution requires
a census of the population to be taken
every ten years in order to reapportion
state representation in the National
House of Representatives. 1t is the
means also to ascertain the increase in
the population, agriculture, industries
and resources of the nation since the
last census.
1t is emphatically declared, by the
statement, that the information sought
from the people of the United States is
used solely for general statistical pur-
poses. 1t will neither be published nor
used in any other way to disclose facts
regarding any individual or enterprise.
the census, it goes on to say, is not.
never has been and cannot be employed
/ to obtain information that can be used
/ in any way in the assessment OF prop
erty for purposes of taxation or the
! collection of taxes, either national.
state or local; or for deportation pro-
/ ceedings. extradition measures, army
or navy conscription, internal revenue
Investigations, compulsory school at
tendance. child labor law prosecutions,
quarantine regulations, or in any way
to affect the life, liberty or property of
any person.
1t 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, supervisors clerk, emu
merators and interpreters, before en-
tering upon their duties, are obliged to
take a solemn oath not to disclose any
information they may obtain, except to
the Census Bureau, and a violation of
the United States law in regard to this
oath means a 81, 900 fine or imprison-
ment for two years, or both, in the els
erection of the court.