The Huttig news., 1910-03-19
WRONG VIEWS or THE CENSUS.
No Harm Can Come to any Persn Who Answer
 the Questions.
Washington, D. C..
 March 2, 1910.

Washington, D. C.,
 March 2, 1910.
 Letters from the census super visors to the United States Census Bureau show the erroneous appre- hension of 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 injurious consequences to their persons and property.
 In order to quiet such unfounded fears, which would, unless re- moved. materially affect the ac- curacy of the census. the bureau has prepared an official statement ralative to the deeennial census. it's origin, purpose and uses.
 This statement should furnish complete assurance to those con- cerned that information given the enumerators is held by the Census Bureau in the serictest confidence with reference to the identity of the informant, as required by the policy of the bureau and command ed by the laws 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 num- bers of people, will cooperate 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 request ed to speak of the census to the school children and ask them to tell their parents about it.
 The statement issued by the bu- reau explains that the Constitution requires a census of the population to be taken every ten years in or der to reapportion state represen- tation in the National House of Representatives. It is the means also to ascertain the increase in the population, agriculture, indus tries and resources of the nation since the last census.
 It is emphe tically declared, by the statement, that the information sought from the people of the United States is used solely for general statistical purposes. It will neither be published nor 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 can not be employed to obtain in formation that can be used in any way in the assessment of property for the purposes of taxation or the collection of taxes. either national, state or local; or for deportation proceedings, extradition measures. army or navy conscription. internal revenue investigations, compulsory school attendance. child-labor law prosecutions, quarantine regula- tions or in any way affect the life, liberty or property of any person.
 It points out that replies to the enumerators are and must be held by the Census Bureau in strict and absolute confidence. All the bu- reau officials, supervisors, super visors' clerks. enumerators and ln- terpreters, before entering upon their duties, are obliged to take solemn oath not to disclose any in formation they may obtain, except to the Census Bureau and viola ton of the United States law in re- oard to this oath means a S1 ,OOO fine or imprisonment for two years, or both, in the discretion of the court.