The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-30

Wy NV ttIFhS ldhtTS " III
misunderstanding concerning its purpose
and scope. and the conseduen. .nd.ffsr-
ence or even hostility shown to the emu
merator. OF course. man. persons havs
usually reared that such ar enumeration
may be used as an instrument for taxa
ton or for army or Jury service or for
deportation. In order to remove these
d~inculties. the Secretary OF States de.
psrtment planned TO disseminate a.
widely as possible throughout the state
all Information regarding this enurnera-
ton.
circulars have been sent to suporvtpors
TO be distributed as extensively a. possi-
ble among persons Of influence In each
community. In these circulars emphasis
VIII be made to dissipate any nNsappre
hehsion or hostility on the subject and
they will set forth that no person can
possibly be injured in any way as a re-
sur OF giving information TO the emu
merators. Moreover. the information
secured will nave nothing to do what
ever with taxation. enforcement of the
Immigration law or any other par
t!cular statute.
Schedules Left In Advance.
IN OF the most important methods
OF disseminating information rera riding
census, and the one usually adopted in
most foreign countries, has been by the
use or advance schedules which the EMU
merators are required TO istribute 10
every family and the head of the family
u Obliged TO MI II up In advance OF the
cnumerator's visit.
such a method moi only serves 10
fa'nilisrize people In advance with the
census Inquiry and to open their doors
10 enumerators, but Il Is believed no far
RS advance schedules are actually NIled
ur they Will increase the accuracy OF
the informaAon because they can he nrc-
psred AZ leisure instead OF during tho
haste Incidental to the enumerator's
visit.
OF course, the same results could not
be secured in this country through the
Use OF the advance schedule because Of
the mixture OF foreign population, the
novelty OF the method and the nature of
come or the questions asked. Resides,
~ ~ likely that a smaller proportion OF
the schedules would he accurately and
completely hIled out. and IL has been
round TO be impractical to provide these
s~cheduies in upward OF twenty different
foreign languages. This objection alone
would interfere with the complete sue
cess or the system nevertheless, the
principal advantage In such n system
lies TN the fact that much more irforma-
'' 80 ~ fAbAll III IuS WHY As IL Is
usually impossible for the cnumeratpr TO
see every person directly and ne ordI-
narlly comes IN contact with only ono
MEMBER OF the family. who NAV not
nav accurate Information concerning
the other members.
or course. the use OF these advance
schedules would IN no way relieve the
enumeration of the responsibility Of max
ing complete returns in his Official sched-
fln0 Ifhs LN.A.
uIc does not always bring the Informal
ton desired. IL does serve a mos, use-
ful purpose in prepa ring the way fot
the census enumeratocs. as Il familiar
iz"s the people with the fact that a con-
sus Is TO I've taken. with the cha racter
OF the questions to he answered. In this
way accomplishing much to remove mis-
Apprehension and hostility
Not ~ Mere Count.
As stated NJ the outset the coming
enumeration viii he confined subs.or-
tally TO one subject. the population Of
the state. But this does not mean thu,
~ VIII he Il mere count of the people,
sor II Is Planned 20 enter into a some
what elaborate detail with regard 70
their characteristics and conditions
Nor" than twelve questions will be
asked on the census schedule regarding
tach individual. and these INQUIRIES Will
nave 10 DO principally with tn. relation
snip OF the individual to the read of
me 'ami'y. his age, place and date of
D'rth. his occupation. employ ment,
naturalization II foreign born. sc.
There will he other radical changes.
especially those affecting inquiries con-
corning occupation. trade or profess
SION Information requested by the De
partmcnt OF Labor. Othc, INN .rtnr,
data VIII he secured Toy the benefit OF
me Department Of Education, Prisons.
'h3rlt y and Healtt.
icy ond Ill these details aud n,thods
however, lies the Fundamental principle
as To tho practical utility of censu;
taxing periodically. Since earliest his
tory or civilization the need of a gov
rnmen knowing tho extent of its
resources in population and In property
has been So obvious that some means
complete or otherwise % asccr,a!ning
TINS Information have been EMPLOYED.
Such an enumeration OF people and
'heif possessions. moreover. has always
aroused considerable hatred and sus-
nlcion. originally Iva sed upon rea OF
imnIety, Numerous other objections
afferward became to he adopted, as wit.
messed by the opposition deyeloped in
Now YORK during the Colonial periol
"hNn GOV. Hunter attempted to take a
census of tho colony in l.I2.
Eenr nC Tna