Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-16
CENSUS SECRETS
WILL Be SACRED
Bureau Making Unusual Efforts
To Assure Ranchmen and
Farmers of This Fact.
INFORMATION NOT DIVULGED.
1t Is as Much Privileged as That I'M
parted by Client to Lawyer or
Patient to Physician.

Washington. Feb. 15.-The United
States census bureau Is making extra
ordinary preparations to ascertain the
approximately exact number and value
of live stock on the ranges in the
United states on April 10 next, the date
of the live stock inventory. as required
by the act of Congress providing for
the thirteenth decennial census.
Fearful that for one reason or anoth-
er the live stock raisers may be deter
red from freely stating tho number
and value of their holdings. the census
bureau is exerting unusual efforts to
assure the ranchmen and farmers, es-
pecially the western range states, that
their interests, whether personal or
corporate. cannot possibly be affected
In any way by their frank and full
disclosure of their live stock possess
slons. The information gathered by
the census Office Is held stirtcly con-
hnedital not only in respect to the
fact that under no circumstances Is It
ever impaired to any one not connect
ed with the census office. but in respect
TO Its ever being given to any other
branch of the government,
ASSURANCE GIVEN.
In behalf of the census bureau" to-
day said Asst. Director William F..
Willoughby, IT can give as positive as
surance of the confidential treatment of
information called for by the live
stock questions in the general agricul-
tural schedule as l could II conf
dcnce were to be Imposed upon me per-
sonally and privately. The census
bureau IS concerned only in the col
lection and publication of statistical
facts. The spirit of every act of Con-
gress providing for the various de-
cennial censuses has been. and is that
the information as to individuals. firms,
and corporations is to be given inviola-
Bile secrecy 1t Is as much privileged
information as that impaired by a
client to q lawyer, by a patient to
a physician, by a dying man to a
minister. 1t can not even be imported
to another branch OF the federal gov
ernment, no matter how much the in
formation may be desired. No court
ever has or ever will ignore this i'm
munity' from personal or business in
volvement bestowed in return for in
formation required by United States
census inquiries. To do otherwise
would impair, If not wholly destroy. the
scientific efficiency of the census work
So far as the live stock census Is con-
cerned, the bureau, following fair. I'M
partial, and unbiased methods. quickly
separates the person, firm, or corpora
tion from the facts furnished, and pri-
vate or corporate Identity in connec-
ton with any census data remains
forever sealed and sacred in the great
safes OF the census office"
THIRTEENTH CENSUS ACT.
In his annual report for 1909 to
Secy. Nagel of the Department Of COM
mercc and labor, Census Director
Durand stated:
The thirteenth census act Is more
specific than that for the twelfth CEN
sus with respect to penalties upon sup
ervisors, anumerators or other en-
ployes who disclose information which
they secure, or who make false re-
turns. While there is no evidence that
employees OF the census bureau in the
past have been guilty of improper dis
closure Of information-except. pos
sibly, In a very few cases these more
specific provisions for penalties are
highly advantageous. Although the
census law requires persons interro-
gated to furnish the information called
for on the duly authorized schedules,
reliance for prompt and accurate re-
turns must rest largely upon the good
will of those making the returns. Man
ufacturers, farmers and others will not
freely disclose the needed information
unless they feel assured that 1t Will be
treated in strict confidence. The CEN
sus bureau exists solely for the col
lection OF general statistics, and Is not.
and should not be, an instrument for
disclosing the affairs of individual per-
sons, firms or corporations. Returns
made by the census bureau are in no
case published in such a way as to
Identify the bureau operations of In
dividual persons or concerns, nor are
they disclosed to any person aside from
employees of the bureau itself-not even
to other departments of the govern
ment or to other bureaus of the de-
partment Of commerce and labor.