The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-03-08
Ms COME HIGH.
Country Must Have
Them.
oyp COST s11,5OO, 600

+ ONE COST sii' 'O0'000'
70. Completed ret-A n Move
~ ..,manent Census Bureau
ror the Census of 1900
ii'D' ,,0ns and Perpiexities.
:, March Especial. AN
FslON' ,ade to induce congress 10
= % . permanent census bureau,
pr e that with a permanent
pnenS ofter census matters the
p lOO ,,. can be taken much more
e1'T intelligently. Few people
, 1Ds Of the magnitude to wn am
iu'" '0orations have grown. An
gus ~ census will have to be tax
enn .,r now-during the Mckin-
snOi'. .'.,on--and congress is asked
~ Nor for its taking on more more. con- OH,
d Ss 81, scale than was ever before EN-,
We Ss sO" United States has already
lno ,,ses as required by the con-
THE first census, that Oh iaso,
p 10 affair. Only one volume was
llIp, ,hs results, and 1t comprised
Oh WV II showed the population OF
pages ~ ..;Ao less than 4, 000,-
n the cost of the census was o
..,. vitb the census taken In
pan ~ w. the enormous sum of $11,-
hVVS vet not all the volumes en-
,h A results have been published,
y sumber arranged for runs up TO
f. number of pages will probably
900. Az ,,,,,ber If in.
w.de nv the enumerators was only
dozen. These were; Name Oh the
u the family; the number of free
ns ' is years and upward, includ-
uss of families; the number OF free
males under 10 years; the number
white females, including heads OF
,os' the number Of all other free per-
1 the number Of slaves.
Too Complicated.
,ho census of 1890 there were 3Sl In
y n be made concerning population,
rot all of any one man. There were
I~r,ries on the population schedule.
were at farmhouse, the enumerator
1 !" add hundred or more questions In
! ~ get the agricultural statistics. II
|srumerator did his full duty In seek
Information from a farmer, he would
|sbs questions, including such inquiries
Chether or not he grew hops or peanuts
FRANCES or bananas or elephants. OF
Ia h was simply impossible to ask all
Z mestions, and the schedule was IN
pv PARTICULARS farce. 1t Is now pro
4 10 simplify the inquiries In order tc
nre better results.
1 the enumerators had stopped to make
Inc sD6 inquiries of the $500. 900 farm
prIetors In good faith, setting dowI
h answers, it is probable the census
bid be going on to this day. The In
res relating to manufactures numbered
and for every mandatory visited thu
lmerator was paid the munificent sun
IS cents. OF course he did not ask al
questions Enumerators were require'
,sk IS questions concerning the insane
about feeble minded persons, AZ as Z
deaf and for the blind Al. For person
sased or physically defective there wer
inquiries. Concerning benevolerc
70 were 4S questions, crime 40, pau
ism 4S. OF course all these question
10 not asked of every individual, blu
family had to tell whether or not
ne within any Of these classes.
The Enumerators.
n the last census there were 400
lmerators employed to ask these que
ns throughout the country. An idea
complexity of the system may
ned when it Is stated officially that tt
real force used simply for settling tt
cunts Of these enumerators was equip
: to the employment of 2S1 clerks Il
entire year at a total cost for servi
ne Of approximately $3.50, 900, or abol
times more than the whole cost of Il
i census.
The late General Francis Walker recen
appeared before a senate committee al
de an argument In favor of a perm
1t census bureau. He said the Cover
mt had spent millions of dollars, pro
y tens Of millions, and perhaps hu
d millions in all, for the collection al
Dlication Of statistical matter, but
never spent cent in training men I
work or In preparation for 1t. &c
4 Walker said the government supper
naval academy to train men for {
W, and military academy to train N
the army, but 1t has never spent q
ney to prepare the men who are to
work of collecting statistics which q
people tens Of millions of dollars.
)ne trouble with the present system
" the enumerators are often employ
such O rush that the manager of
lsus bureau knows absolutely nothi
'ut their qualifications for the work.
quently happened in 1890 that men "
been appointed to make enumeratit
'ew up the job at the last moment, WI
y saw how much work there was to
their successors had to be appoin
telegraph. With a permanent cen
reau, these difficulties could be avoi'
thorough and timely organization.
A Change Proposed.
GENERAL Walker proposed, and 1t Is pr
70 his suggestion will be adopted, t
Gay OF taking the census he chan
IN June to April Is. Against
'mer date 1t is urged that then mi
y people are away from home on Il
cations, travelling or at the resorts,
: adds to the difficulty of getting an
rate census. The objection to Apri
mat then the country roads are in Il
,rSt condition, and it will be the II
- n