The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1910-02-18
CENSUS BUREAU
IS GETTING BUSY

III uLI1IlVU UUUI
Washington, D. c. February Is,
191O.-The United States Census Blu
reau is making extraordinary prepar-
atoms 10 ascertain the approximately
exact number and value of the live
stock on the ranges in the United
States on April Is next, the date of
the livestock inventory, as required
by the act of Cong ress providing for
tho Thirteenth Decennial Census.
Fearful that for one reason or an
other the livestock raisers may be de-
TERED from freely stating the number
and value of their holdings, the Cen
sus Bureau is exerting unusual eff
forts to assure the ranchmen and
farmers, especially of the western
range states, that their interests,
whether personal or corporate, can
not possibly be affected in any way
by their frank and full disclosure of
their livestock possessions. The in
formation gathered by the Census
Office is held strictly confidential not
only in respect to the fact that under
no circumstances it is ever impaired
to any one connected with the Census
Office, but in respect of it's ever being
given to any other branch OF the Gov
eminent.
ASSURANCE OF SECRECY.
"In behalf of the Census Bureau"
today, said Assistant Director Will
liamF. Willoughby, 81 can give pos
tive assurance of the confidential
treatment of information called for
by the livestock questions in the gen
eral agricultural schedule as l could
if a confidence were to be imposed up
on me personally and privately. The
Census Bureau is concerned only in
the collection and publication of sta
tistical facts. The spirit of every act
of Congress providing for the various
decennial censuses has been, and is,
that the information as to individuals,
firms, and corporations is to be given
inviolable secrecy. 1t is as much
privileged information as that i'm
parted by client to a lawyer, by
patient to physician, by a dying
man to minister. It cannot even
be impaired to another branch of the
Federal Government, no matter how
much the information may be desired.
No court ever has or ever will ignore
this immunity from personal or bust
ness involvement bestowed in return
for information required by United
States Census inquiries. To do other
wise would impair, if not wholly de-
stroy, the scientific efficiency of the
Census work. So far as tho live
stock census is concerned, the bureau,
following fair, impartial, and un-
biased methods, quickly separates the
person, firm, or corporation from the
facts furnished, and private or cor
porate identity in connection with any
census data remains forever sealed
and sacred in the great safes of the
Census Office"
THE DIRECTORS REPORT.
In his annual report for 1909 to
Secretary Nagel, of the Department of
Commerce and Labor, Census Director
Durand stated:
"The Thirteenth Census Act is more
specific than that of the Twelfth Cen
'us with respect to penalties upon SUI
enumeratOrs, or other en-
Dloyees who disclose information
which they secure, or make false re-
.urns, WhilO there is no evidence
hat employees of the Census Bureau
n the past have been guilty of i'm
proper disclosure of information-ex-
.ept, possibly, in a very few cases
hese more specific provisions for pen
'lties are highly advantageous. AL
hough the census law requires per-
ons Intercepted to furnish the infor-
nation called for on the duty author
zed schedules, reliance for prompt
md accurate returns must rest large
y upon the good will Of those max
ne the returns. Manufacturers,