The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-03-06
WRONG VIEWS
OF THE CENSUS
NO HARM CAN COME TO THE PER-
SON WHO ANSWERS THE CUES
TIoNS ASKED BY THE CENSUS
ENUMERATORS.

Letters from the census supervisors
to the United States Census Bureau
show the erroneous apprehension of
considerable element of the popula-
ton that their answers to the enum-
orators questions in the next census,
beginning April Is, this year, will
cause increased taxation, legal en-
tanglements, or injurious conse-
quences to their persons and prop
erty.
In order to quiet such unfounded
fears, which would, unless removed,
materially affect the accuracy Of the
census, the bureau has prepared an
official statement relative to the de-
cennial census, its origin, purpose and
uses.
This statement should furnish COM
plete assurance to those concerned
that information given the enumera-
tors is held by the census bureau in
the strictest confidence with refer
ence to the identity of the inform
ants, as required by the policy of the
bureau and commanded py the law
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 numbers 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. Teach
ers are particularly requested to
speak of the census to the school chill
dren and ask them to tell their parents
about it.
The statement issued by the bu-
reau explains that the constitution re-
luires a census of the population to
be taken every ten years in order
to reapportion state representation in
the national house of representatives..
It is the means also to ascertain the
increase in the population, agricul-
ture, industries and resources of the
nation since the last census.
1t is emphatically declared, by tn
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 enterprise. The census,
it goes on to say, is not, never has
been, and can not be employed to OBJ
L1II IudL can bF1 uSSO III
any way in the assessment of prop
erty for purposes of taxation or the
collection of taxes, either national,
state or local: or for deportation pro-
ceedings, extradition measures, army
or navy CONSUMPTION, internal revenue
Investigations, compulsory school at
tendance, child labor law prosecu-
tons, quarantine regulations, or in
any way to 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 bureau
officials, supervisors, supervisors
clerks, enumerators and interpreters.
before entering upon their duties, are
obliged TO take a solemn oath not to
disclose any information they may
obtain, except to the census bureau,
and violation OF the United States
law in regard to this oath means a
$1,000 fine or imprisonment for two
years, or both, in the discretion Of
| the court.