Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-07-10
THE TWELFTH CENSUS.
! THERE ARE REALLY TO BE TWO
COUNTS OF THE POPULATION.

WASHINGTON, D. C.-The Govern
ment is getting ready to spend $S, 900, =
600 or 50, 600, 900 on the twelfth census
of the United States and for 10000
positions to be filled hundreds of ap-
plications are already being received
daily at Washington. While the gem
eral plan of taking the census will be
the same as was adopted in 1890 the
Government will profit by past expert
ence and will conduct it on a much
more practical plan than heretofore.
In preparing the reports there are
really two counts taken of the popula-
ton. The first by enum orators, who
make their canvass from house to house
and from farm to farm, noting the
number of persons to each family in
connection with other information; the
second count is taken at the bureau.
1t would be the task of years to ascer-
tain the number of people in the coun-
try if the usual methods of addition
were followed, but the bureau brings
into use device which allows 100
clerks to get out the totals in a few
days. This time they will probably
complete additions within ten days.
One of the rooms in the census
bureau will be fitted up with electric
tabulators, each Of which is connected
to keyboard regulated by one of the
counting clerks. Each tabulator is
arranged to register from one to forty.
AS the reports of the enumerators are
received, piles are placed beside the
operator, he picks up the first, glances
at the figures marked in certain COR
ner, touches the key on which that
figure is marked and the correspond
ing figures appear on the face of the
sabulator. BY comparing these with
the ones on the report he knows
whether he has registered accurately
or not. At the same time the total
number registered appears in another
space on the face of the tabulator. If
the family comprises seventeen per-
sons, that number is registered in ad-
dition to the $4,000 or more which
may have been counted. 1t is calcu-
lated that no family will exceed forty
persons, including the children, broth
ers and sisters and other relations who
may be living in the house. In case
the number runs above forty it must
be added separately. but this seldom
occurs. When it is stated that 100 of
these machines are being worked at
the sc me time by counters, who finger
the keys almost as rapidly as if they
were working a typewriter, an idea
may be gained of the speed ;cith which
the work progresses.
RAPIDITY OF POPULATION COUNT.
In the last census some of this force
counted As, 200 persons daily. They
were among the women clerks, how
ever, who obtained much better rec
ord for speed than did the men who
ranged from $4,000 to 1000 persons
each daily. 1t is expected that this
year fully 100000 persons will be
counted daily at the rate of nearly
100000 families, which, as already
stated, ought to complete the work
within ten days.
The canvass from house to house
will begin at the same time all over
the country. To carry out this part
Of the census properly, the country is
divided into 300 districts, each in
charge of supervisor, who has TIE
appointment OF the enumerator. AL
together about so, 900 of these enuner-
ators will be needed. Any one who
is fairly Intelligent and who can read
and write is qualified for the position,
and this army will be made up princi-
pally of those who have influence with
the supervisors, either through Con-
gressional representatives or other
wise.
1t is not an easy undertaking, as the
ones who canvass the cities will have
many more families to visit than will
those in the rural sections. The limit
is supposed to be about 1000 families,
although sin some portions of the
Uuited States all OF the time will be
required for an enumerator to visit
fifty or sixty families, owing to the
distance between habltations in the
more sparsely settled portions. The
pay will range from two cents name
upward, varying according to the diff
ticulties of the work, and is largely at
the discretion of the supervisors.
SOME OF THE QUESTIONS.
The Government is very much in
terested in knowing what proportion
of the people is not self-supporting,
also what portion is insane or imbe-
cile, and it keeps careful record of
the men who have been in its military
service. The report, which is required
to be made of each family, however,
contains answers to about thirty ques-
tions, which give enough information
to furnish fair account of every per-
son who comes under the enumerator.
The questions relate to the number of
persons in the family visited; their
names, relationship, color, sex, age,
condition, birthplace, number of chill
dren of the various parents; citizen
ship, the school attendance of tie chill
dren, those who speak English an6
those who speak foreign language;
if the dwelling is owned or rented or
mortgaged.
Ample space is allotted for this in
formation, and in a conspicuous space