The Indianapolis journal., 1899-09-16
TASK OF CENSUS TAKING
v. G. CLIFFORD. OF THIS DISTRICT,
INQUIRIES INTO HIS DUTIES.
He Will Need from 200 to $50 Men
No More Commercial Club
Assistance.

Though Vincent G.. Clifford, who will be
supervisor OF the census in this con-
gressionai district. has not yet received his
commission, and probably will not for sew
eral months. he, nevertheless. is hustling for
information. He is calling on men who were
connected with the census taking ten years
ago. You certainly have your foot in it,
one Of them has told him. Mr.. Clifford is
also reading carefully the census regula-
tions- The time for taking the census is
the first two weeks in June In cities OF over
5000 and the whole month Of June for other
parts of the district. Therefore there is
plenty OF time TO prepare for the counting
OF men. and Mr.. Clifford says he intends
TO improve each shining hour. The Presi-
dent nominates supervisors Of the
census and Congress approves the nominal
tions, SO Mr.. Clifford does not expect his
commission until after Congress meets.
Mr.. Clifford has received a considerable
number of applications. He will probably
need from 200 to 80 men. The law requires
that when possible the census shall be taken
within political divisions and the census of
division shall be taken by a man living
within that division 4. one be available and
competent. Mr.. Cliffs rd says 1t is probable
IL will require one man to a precinct I'm this
city TO take the census. In the country dis
tricts It may require one or two men to a
township. The pay for the service is set
by law at from to 3 cents a name. The
director Of the census sets the exact pay.
Mr.. Clifford said yesterday he had been
telling applicants that he hoped they would
be able to make so week. When the last
census was taken each name was followed
by a schedule Of thirty questions. The writ
ing Of thirty replies for each person requires
several minutes, and it must be done in ink
1t is not anticipated the schedules will be
as elaborate next year as they were ten
years ago.
learned that when the last census was
taken there was great difficulty In getting
the names and facts about people in the
takers found that in most OF the blocks the
rooms were not occupied during the day
and 1t was not worth while to continue run
and searching through dark, stuffy corri-
dors and questioning ignorant and ill-fa-
vored people all for 2 cents name. AS a
result when the end Of the time came 1.
was found the census had not been taken
thoroughly. The Commercial Club came to
circulate through the ill-counted districts
and get the names and other statistics re-
quired. This same thing was done In other
cities. and in some instances 1t was not hon.
estly done: In some of the cities Of the
Northern States 1T was discovered that the
commercial Clubs being jealous to make as
good showing for their cities as possible.
''rung in some dead ones" to swell the
enumeration. The government has placed a
bar against this sort of census taking by
determining to do all the work itself. Mr.
Cnnord says he intends to ask the director
or the census for special agents when the
time comes.
FARMERS AND CROPS.
In the country districts the farmers must
be questioned about the crops. Mr.. Clifford
says he sees that the men who take the
census must be equipped with good COM
mon sense or they viii, fall down. The law
requires every person to answer the ques-
tions put by the census taker, and a penalty
Is stipulated for stubborn people who turn
the census man away from their doors even
as If he were book agent. There is always
more or less trouble with foreigners who
cannot speak English The experience has
been that Ignorant foreigners think there
census They seem to fear that their home
governments are seeking them out for some
indehnable fault they have committed. 1t Is
always necessary to have several inter-
prefers in every district. Mr.. Clifford saws
IL VIII not be necessarily true that he will
know how many people there are in the
district even after the census has beer
taken under his direction. The blanks come
In boxes, and when they are filled out they
are put back into the boxes and shipped
to Washington Mr.. Clifford is in doubt
that summary has to be made here
He anticipates, however, that a force OF
clerks will have to be employed.to examine
census takers and arrange them according
to wards or villages or townships