The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-06-01

pletely punched, or not properly fed to
the machine, or is placed upside down, or
II some item mas Deen overlooked, or, in
TACT; II everything Is not all right, the
machine refuses to work and the card is
rejected. Neither will the machine work
II the circuit controlling the device is op-
Grated without a card in place. Such a
machine has also the advantage that ii
will not make mistakes because il is tired
$3.50 49, - - - -
weather is warm, or by reason of the
thousand and one causes which will upset
the human machine.
At least eight hundred clerks and mes
sengers will be employed to tabulate
properly the results derived from the
punching machines. There will be, in ad-
dItion, about seven hundred and fifty
clerks employed IN the agricultural de-
partment, four hundred in the office of
the chief statistician for manufactures.
sixty in the office of the statistician for
vital statistics, and about two hundred
and fifty in miscellaneous branches of
the work. In order TO provide for hous-
ing this aggregation, a contract was en-
thy citizens OF Washington. who has pro-
Vided building capable of holding the
the census work 1t is almost entirely on
the one floor, with two large rooms hold
ing nine hundred people each, covering in
ali ABOUT Two acres OF ground 1t is the
first time in the history of census work
that proper headquarters have been pro-
Vlded, and II Is beueVed that great econ
omy Will ensue by reason of having a
proper administration building. The cen
SuS office, after all is nothing bur a great
statistical bureau and in the employment
of so large a force it is necessary to pur-
sue the same general tactics of admin
iStrat1On as are usually observed in in
dustria1 institutions. The clerical force
has been gathered from all parts of the
United States. a systematic form of ex-
animation for all applicants having been
provided for and it is believed that the
individuals selected are as well adapted
for the work required of them as any sim
liar body of people could be under the
same circumstances. The real test of any
clerical force. after all, lies in the expert
ence of the persons making it up, but il is
not possible under the system heretofore
pursued by congress in permitting the ex-
perienced people in censS IS work to be
scattered to the four winds and q new
| force gathered each time
After the four great inquiries are fin
! ished, called the Census Reports proper,
I the office is instructed under the law to
| interesting subjects, among which are the
/ following: the insane, Predetermined. deaf
dumb, blind crime, pauperism and benev-
olence: social statistics of cities; public
| indebtedness, valuation and expenditure
| electric light and power; telephone and
I telegraph business. transportation by wa
! ter, express business, and street railway
/ mines and mining. etc, etc. These, Wher
/ published will be denominated as '.Spe-
| cial Census Reports" and the office is for.
| hidden to take any of them up until We
have finished the Census Reports proper
| From time to time congress Will undOubt
| eddy assign other inquiries to the Census
| data must be gathered as of the date
when the inquiry is instituted, practically
| four five years will be consumed il
/ gathering the special reports These re
| suits viii be of cor iderable value to stu
dents of economics within Gus colleges.