Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1910-03-10
WRONG VIEW OF CENSUS
No Harm Can Possibly Come To Any
Person Who Answers The Question.
Truthfully.
No Information Obtained Will Be u.e<,
To Benefit Any Other Branch OF
The Government.

the United States Census Bureau show
the erroneous apprehension of con-
siderable element Of the population
that their answers to the enumerators'
questions in the next census, beginning
April 18th, this year, will cause in.
creased taxation, legal entanglements,
or Injurious consequences to their
persons and property.
In order to quiet such unfounded
fears, which would, unless removed,
materially affect the accuracy of the
census, the bureau has prepared an
official statement relative to the
decennial census. its 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
strictest confidence with reference to
the identity of the informants, as re-
quired by the policy of the bureau and
commanded by the law of the United
States.
The bureau earnestly hopes that
clergymen, 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
persons who are believed to entertain
erroneous opinions of the. census the
real facts and urging them to give full
replies 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
census Of the population to be taken
every ten years in order to reapportion
state representation in the National
House Of Representatives. It is the
means also to ascertain the increase in
the population, agriculture, industries
and resources of the nation since the
last census.
1t is emphstioally declared, by the
statement, that the information sought
from the people of the United States
is used soley for general statistical
purposes. 1t will neither be published
or used in any other way to disclose
facts regarding any individual or enter
prise. The census. it goes on to say, is
not, never has been and cannot be en-
ployed to obtain information that can
be used in any way in the assessment of
property 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 in
vestigations, 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 clerks, emu
merators, and interpreters. before
entering upon their duties, are obliged
to take q solemn oath not to disclose
any information they may obtain, ex.
cept to the Census Bureau, and q vic.
lation of the United States law in re-
gard to this oath means 81 600 fine or
imprisonment for two years, or both,
In the discretion of the court.