Evening star., 1900-05-31

has been getting ready. This seems a long
time. but heretofore 1t has been inadequate
to the demands made upon the office. Di-
rector Merriam shortly after his appoint
ment laid out his comprehensive plan for
the preliminary work and before the first
month had gone by the initial force had
been appointed and was getting under way.
Perhaps the greatest handicap in the TAX
ing of previous censuses was the incompe-
tent assisting force. Politics in the main
had dominated work of this kind, and the
result had been that the office was loaded
with men and women who were not equal
| to the task laid out for them. Director
Merriam with judgment introduced an in
novation in the appointment of clerks.
Apportionment of Appointments.
While partisan, he realized that the de-
mocracy was entitled to representation
and after estimating the force required to
do the work he apportioned the positions
between the two great political parties. OF
course the larger percentage was republic
can. Senators were given a larger number
of appointments than representatives, and
the dominant factors in each state were
consulted in the appointment of super
visors. In those states where the repub-
lcans were not represented by a represen-
tative or a senator the republican ma
chine was consulted.
But this was not all. Director Merriam
insisted after this apportionment had been
made that unless the candidates recon-
mended by the politicians were capable
they would not receive appointments. And
so he instituted the examination and made
the passing of 1T condition precedent to
each appointment.
AT first this met with considerable oppo-
siton on the part of politicians, but they
were all fair enough to recognize its i'm
portance. and after short time all oppo-
citon ceased. In these examinations the
applicants were required to attain per-
centage of ~ in questions that were at
once practical and thorough. The exam
nations gave the director an eligible list,
and as rapidly as clerks We're needed the
appointments were made. Most of the ap
plcants have been women. because of the
express desire of the director to have his
working force made up for the most part
of the fair sex. With the question of ap-
pointment out of the way it was an easy
matter, comparatively speaking, to con-
clude the details. Director Merriam sur
rounded himself at once with a force of
| competent assistants. who have carried out
his wishes to the letter with the result
| that the Office is thoroughly organized.
Great Work Accomplished.
The work incident to the commencement
of the enumeration proper has been of con-
siderable magnitude. Nearly three hundred
supervisors have been selected. $1,000 emu
merators something over two thousand
special agents: clerical force Is now at
work numbering over one thousand, and ex-
aminations are In force that will provide
some two thousand two hundred more
over fifteen millions of schedules have
been prepared and sent to the different
parts of the United States. for use in TAX
ing the enumeration and acquiring other
facts in connection with the manufacturing
and agricultural inquiries. In order to
bring about these conditions there will have
been spent on the 1st of June about sIJo00O
The Task Tomorrow.
Tomorrow morning the small army Of
enumerators will sally forth upon the
commencement of the most important CEN
sus taken during the history Of the United
States The preliminary work that has
| been undertaken is but small part of the
| task that confronts the officials of the CEN
sus bureau The field work now commenc-
| ing which will involve the use of all the
| enumerators and special agents. consisting
| OF nearly ffty-five thousand men. probably
will not he finished until in September. When
| the returns are made from this vast aggre-
| CATION of Information hunters the real work
| of the census will begin.
The count of the population will be hur-
ried through so to complete II by the
time Congress conveneS, in order that a
proper apportionment bill may be provided
| for at the next session of the national
legislature.
The work of compilation tabulation and
printing Will follow. and this alone will be
| a work of great magnitude. 1t is hoped to
| 0nlSn tne pTiHcipdi part VI tHe CENSUS WOIk
| within the next two years. That done, the
| special subjects connected with the indus
| trial and sociological Inquiries will be taken
| up and disposed OF fast possible. A
| much more thorough supervision and
| enumeration will be undertaken than ever
| attempted heretofore. involving. of course
| an extraordinary expenditure, with a view
| of a more thorough count of the population
| In the larger cities. 1t Is not unlikely that
i the cost of the census, when completed
1 will be between $4,000 900 and SIG, 600 600
1 II is believed. however, that the results
| either from scientific practical stand
| point in the main, will be satisfactory to
| the people OF the country.
| Busy Day at the Office.
| This was a very busy day at the census
office. On the eve Of the commencement of