The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1910-04-29
CENSUS MEN
HAVE TROUBLE
Many People Don't Like TO An
swer Some of the
Questions.
SOME RESENT AGE QUERY
Property Questions Are Also OBJ
jected To-May Be Arrests
for Not Answering.
SOME RESENT AGE QUERY

The expected troubles Of the census
takers have started with more than the
expected force and variety. In their
rounds, the agents Of Uncle Sam who
are delegated to ask numerous queS
tons which would be highly imperti-
nent if asked by anyone else, are going
up against a lot of the people who don t
want to answer their questions, whether
the inquirer is backed by Uncle Sam
or not.
Among the main difficulties encount
cred are those connected with questions
about property interests. q have d
place with a small mortgage on it, .
said one angry citizen, land | find
myself questioned for the government
by a man. almost a neighbOr, who Is a
business rival of mine. and he wants
to know all about my financial position,
mortgages, etc. 1t is all right to say
that the government will keep the in
formation secret, and that the census
agent can not disclose anything. But |
don t like to tell about these things
through such agents. Why could not
the government get that sort of stun,
if it needs it for statistical purposes,
through the banks and other financial
institutions?''
Other troubles of the census men are
with women- on such questions as
Glow old are you?' The responses
vary Some are indignant and plainly
untrue, and meant for sarcasm. Some
are sweetlv innocent and may be true
and may In some cases there is
a refusal to tell. Every census taker
knows by this time how much real
truth there lies at the bottom of the
old comic-paper joke about woman s
concealment of her age.
Inquiries as to nationality and race
also cause pilikia. The two terms are
confused by many, and when they have
declared themselves American, this an
swer is regarded as settling the matter
and further inquiries as to race are
resented.
Still another pilikia is being found
in the close detail called for by the
questions to property owners as to the
products of their places. They are ask
ed, if they keep chickens, how many
they have and how many eggs they get.
If they have cows, figures are wanted
about the amount of milk they get.
Some do not know, and some do not
want to give it away.
The various questions are all a part
of a very elaborate census report to be
made by the federal government. Each
answer Will be classified, listed and
tabulated in dozens of tables, and will
be a part of statistical report which
will cover ali lines of industry, and
give much valuable information as to
the actual condition of the people, the
census being far more than mere
counting of noses.
There is ample law under which the
census takers may compel answers to
their questions, and severe penalties
are provided for those who interfere
with their work or refuse to answer
questions properly put. At the same
time, the law protects those who an
swer questions of a private nature, es
tabliShing penalties for employees of the
census who divulge anything they may
learn as census agents.
The experience of some Of the agents
indicates that some arrests are likely
within a day or two, of people refusing
10 answer their questions. The federal
government proposes to back up its
agents. and there is piiFia in store for
anyone who does not properly answer
the authorized questions