Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-03-04
WRONG VIEWS OF THE CENSUS.
No Harm Can Come to Any Person who
Answers the Questions.

WASHlNGTON, ~. u, hdiCH =, ~
Letters from the census supervis-
ors to the United State Census Blu
reau show the erroneous apprehen-
sion 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
injurious consequences to their per-
sons and property.
In order to quiet such inbound
ed fears, which would, unless re-
moved, materially affect the accu
racy of the census, the bureau has
prepared an official statement rela-
tive to the decennial census, its
origin, purposes, 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 strictest confidence
with reference to the identity of
the bureau and commanded by the
law Of the United States.
The bureau earnestly hopes that
clergymen, priests, school-teachers,
physicians, employers, and other
public-spirited citizens who come
in contact with large numbers of
people, will cooperate with the
bureau by telling persons who are
believed to entertain erroneous opin-
ions OF the census the real facts and
urging them to give full replies to
the enumerators. Teachers are par
ticularly requested 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 CONSTITUTIONS
requires census of the population
to be taken every ten years in order
to reapportion state representation
in the National House of Repre-
sentives. 1t is the means also to
ascertain the increase in the popu-
lation, 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 Unit
ed States is used solely for general
statistical purposes. 1t will neither
be published nor used in any other
way to disclose facts regarding any
individual or enterprise. The CEN
sus, it goes on to say, is not, never
has been, and can not be employed
to obtain information that can b,
used in any way in the assessment
OF property for purpose of taxation
or the collection of taxes. either
national, state, or local.; or for de-
portation proceedings, extradition
measures, army or navy conscrip-
ton, internal-revenue investiga-
tons, compulsory school attend
ance, child-labor law prosecutions,
quarantine regulations, or in any
way to affect the life, liberty, on
property OF any person.
1t points out that replies to til,
enumerators are and must be hello
by the Census Bureau in strict and
absolute confidence. All the bu.
reau officials, supervisors, super |
visors' clerks, enumerators, and in |
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
regard to this oath means a s1,OOOl
fine or imprisonment for two years,
or both, in the discretion of the