The Washington herald., 1910-08-01
In CENSUS
Director Durand Answers
Suffragist's Letter.
PERTAINS TO OWNERSHIP
Question Whether n Man Is Desf9-
mated by Census EnumeratOrS as
Owner, Where lie Merely Operates
Farm for Wife, Ii Denied by Head
of Bureau, who Explains.

Director Durand. OF the Census Bureau.
has made public the correspondence be-
tween himself and Mrs. Catherine Ward
McCulloch. Of the Illinois Equal Suffrage
Association. with reference to the census
methods Of reporting farms which are
owned by married women. but operated
by their husbands. The subject had been
raised not merely by Mrs. McCulloch's
letter. he SAYS. but also by the action OF
other organizations or Of woman suf-
iragists. Instructions to census employees
In the matter. he says, are as fellows:
II farm Is operated BY person Eho owns all
q H. by a man whose wife owns all Of H. by the
eelF or heirs thereto or b. the trustee guardian
10y auch heir. write owner" n a farm
: oreTated by person who owns part q H. o. by
oD1 Nheee ne owns a part u g. and the rest q
s1eh iarm IS leased from Others write part own
e. II fam is operated for its owner
oI ios public Institution by one who receives wages
u --l5 10Y ms services a. manager. superintendent
OF owner write manager but a husband is never
70 De reported as the manager Of his wife's farm.
Letter OF Mrs. McCuIIoch.
The letter TO Census Director Durand
from Mrs. McCulloch. written from the
Illinois Equal Suffrage headquarters. IN
Chicago. and dated July p, follows;
Is il true that in the advance schedule Of questions
sent cut IN relation 20 agriculture. Is this para
graIn; A husband is never 20 be reported how
ever as manager for his wifes farm but II he man
ages Il Tor her. should be reported as ouncrf This
would be q legal misstatement, 4 such q report
should b. made for in many OF our States the
property 81 the husband and wife is 50 sufficiently
separate that he has right Of dover Of overture
and eTen m States like Illinois the husband has 20
oUcrship in his Wife's real estate: be is only life
tenant q one-third II her real estate This is not
ownership ] should be glad TO have COPY q tho
exact statement as made.
Tie Directors Answer
The following letter was sent to Mrs.
McCuliOcA by the Director:
Dear Madam: In reply 10 your letter Of July Y.
take pleasure IN sending herewith copy Of ths
agricultural schedule with the instructions 70 which
10 take exception. and also copy Of the population
schedule and instructions.
Tie ccus7Is Inquiries concerning farms are not az
ransed with view 70 Distinguishing men from
women as farm operatorS In the reports which re
shall publish there win be no reference wha- ever
made % the sex Of the person operating the fam
Moreover the census makes attempt 20 ascertain
how such farm propeTty OF how much property u
any sort Is owned BY as distinguished from
women Among other reasons why this would be
unQelrahle Is the fact that. for various reasons,
men often PIT property which was fdrs1eriv exclu-
aTey theirs under the legal ownership OF their
wives.
The census inquiries ard Instructions with regard
% the method u operating farms have The Altogether
different purpose Ct asoertaining the economic indie
penoencc OF dependence q theffa1m families. From
this standpoint farms fan logically and clearly into
three main classes; % Farms Which are owned By
TIE families which ouerats then. 70 farms which
are rented By the families which operate them and
5l iarr1s which are operated by persons or families
who WuCk for wages paid by the farm owner Cor Ia
so'ne cases. BY the farm renter. The hired man
ager q a farm. Ike the renter q a farm IS in A
q q farm who owns L.
The census in this matter looks upon the family
as the unit and the wife il considered Of The sams
importance the husband IN tho family h-fgiress
II the farm Is owned by The wife that ownership.
according TO the census theory gives the sane ecu
ncsnic independence 70 the family that is secured
When the husband owns the farm Conaco1ertiv
the Instructions are that If a farm il owned by tho
husband and wife Jointly. or By the husband alone
OF the wife alone, it IS 70 be reported as a farm
oIerated b. the owner. In some cases the euumer-
ators, although there are special instructions On
me subject, may report tho wife the operator
Of the farm because she is the owner but Il IS in
material whether sh8 Of her husband be reported IS
the farm operator since the only fact that VIII bs
tabuated b. the cers1s Is the fact mat the farm
y operated By the owner. without Distinguishing sex
II The census should report as a managed" farm
all those farms where the land IS actually In the
legal ownership o. The wife, but IS operated hv thu
husband or By the husband and wife Jointly. II
would improperly exasse-ate ;he nurnher Of pendent
Iafm families and correspondingly understats the
number q independent farm families operating farms
which they themselves own.
Precisely the SINE attitude is taken b. the census
~1th respect 20 the ownership OF renting Of bones
other than farms you viii see b. the instructions
FOR the population schedule.
trust that this letter VIII make plain 70 You the
POSITION Of the Bureau Of the Census With referenos
70 this subject. and viii show you that there is alb
sou;ely no intention 20 disregard the rights o.
women. but that. the contrary. IN its study q
family independence and dependence the oee rroe-
nizes that The woman counts the sane as her hus-
band and should be treated in the sane uav. the
family being the true unit Of PRESENTATION Very
respectfully. +. DANA DURAND Director