The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-11-20
WHAT GOOD IS THE
CENSUS TOFARMERS?

A fair question and one that j
often asked the census enumeratot
2 is, "Of what value is the census tt
the farmer?"
Uncle Sam gets inquisitive ever!
five or ten years and wants to know
the number, age, color and condition
of his people. A census of some kline
is taken each year, but it takes five
years for him to get around to the
farmers. So it happens that the 1928
census is an agricultural census
while the one of 1924 was an indus
trial census.
The enumerators are farmers liv
ing in the districts in which they
work. In order to cover the whole
country it requires approximately
10000 enumerators and 200 super
visors. A large number of the dis
tricts will be supervised by regular
employees detailed by the Bureau Of
Census and by the state statisticians
of the United States Department OF
Agriculture. Outside of the regular
employees the personel is identified
with farming interests.
The e-numerators visit every farm
in the United States. They are com
missioned to ask questions in a con-
fidential way and receive information
that at first thought might be con-
sidered, "nobody's business but my
own" The census enumerator is a
sworn officer of the government. He
treats everyone alike. All must tell
the census mar the things Uncle Sam
wants to know.
The information gathered cannot
in any way be detrimental to the per-
son giving it. No tax official is per-
mitted access to the farm schedules
nor is it permissible for any person
employed as enumerator, clerk, stem
~ographer, supervisor assistant super
visor to communicate any information
or art thereof to anyone not author
lied to receive the information. the
person who violates Intentionally Or
otherwise, his oath, taken when he
enters into the employ Of the United
States Census Bureau is subject to
a heavy penalty. The Census Act Of
March 3, 1919 provides fines up to
$1,000 and Imprisonment up to five
years or both for violation by The
e~numerators, supervisors or other
census official. Nor is the farmer
the information exempt. A
refusal to answer any of the ques-
lions or if he shall give answers that
are false he shall be guilty of a mis-
demeanor and upon conviction he
shall be fined not t oexceed $500.
Value To Farmers
So on the face of it, it would APP
pear Uncle Sam takes the census
seriously. Then what good is the
census to the farmer?
In the first place the census is the
basis of many plans to improve agri-
conditions. 1t is necessary to
some sort of measure for de-
.ermining the number of farms and
condition of the farmers. 1t is neces-
AIRY because every time Congress
.onvenes questions of Importance to
agriculture up Laws are in
reduced and passed for the benefit
# agriculture. Again and again
.arming as an occupation and the
iarmer as a class are measured by
Congress for this, that, and the other.
great deal will be said, but the
title that will be done in response to
he demands of agriculture will be
hat tiny portion that will have the
of sound and impartial fig
res. The 1926 census will be the
ardstick used by Congress the next
i've years for measuring agriculture.
he yardstick used in the past is in
dequate. Any yardstick or measure
Don outlives its usefulness. That is
Uncle Sam sends out his hired
to count the farmers, their
locks, acres, tons and bushels. He
ants to know these things in order
agriculture might stand on equal
with other means of making
living.
In the second place the census as
SITS the farmer by showing where he
1t answers his questions of
here to locate for raising certain
ops. The farmer who wants to grow
'rn can find by referring to the
.nsus where corn is being grown. If
wishes to grow Strawberries or
atermelons he can by consulting
e census know where these crops
e grown.
As a third benefit to the farmer
e census helps in stabalizing produc-
IN. For a long time it has been
Iown that big crops brought less
small crops. Also that no pro-
while it would result in
CHER prices was ruinous to the
rmer who tried it. Production must
stabilized. No one has yet found
t how to stabalize agriculture, ex-
for zach farner to TROLL bic