The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-03-11
New Census System Does Not Re-.
quire Obnoxious Queries.
NO TALES OF WOE RELATED &. il. ID
Thcre arc Now Only Four Schedules 20
TO Cover the Inquiries Of the
Ennmcrators Who arc En-
gagged for This Census.

s,or-tfolios, OF wllitish-prown 9,asteboard.
hinged together with black cloth, are
eighteen inches long and ten wide and
tied with -four sets of tape. The tape
used Is not that red tape" which to the
ordinary. mind signifies circumlocution
and delay. The law requires speed in the
Census Scof 1860 and common every day
white tape win fasten the schedule
filled portfolios dn their round from habi-,
ration to habitation- For convenient,
accurate and rapid enumeration the
United States have been divided into 500
supervisors districts, and these an turn
into about $1,000 enumeration districts,
or u. DIS, as they are called in the Cen
sus Office. Each OF the 5000 enulmera-
tors is yet to be appointed, so on the port
folios O blank space is left for his name.
z The last census found the unhappy
cnumeratpr loaded down with from 10 to
Is schedules, each having volumfnous in
structions, to master which required con-
siderable mental ability and power OF
memory. That census was taken under a
law which required cnumerators to ask
many obnoxious questions. Under dire
penalties of threatened prosecution and
fine in case of refusal, at every home the
family skeleton must be brought forth
for classification and record. Sensitive
people who, Spartan-like. had dong con-
cealed an insidious malady gnawing at
their yitals must dsvulge their hidden all.
ment- Harassed, unhappy persons, strus-
Cling under a, burden of debt, yet strlv-s
ing to keep up appearances, must con1lue
to the enurnerator their financial woes
He sternny demanded information as to
defects of mind, sight, hearing and
speech and If a member OF the family
was "a prisoner, convict, homeless child
or pauper." The intir-nitieS Of crippled,
manned or deformed" must also be duly,
classed and canalogued. That answers
thus obtained were not for publication in
the daily papers but simply for tabulation
a,y employees sworn not to divulge census
facts, failed to alleviate the painful duty
of making them. The Census Act of 1900,
flarg,ily for all. does not require these dis
agreeable queries.
ONLY -FOUR SCHEDULES
-Four schedules, not ten, cover enumera-
tors inquiries in 1850: schedules requiring
information about population, vital sta
ustics. manufactures and agriculture
In cities the enumerator will seldom need
the agricultural, or in rural districts the
manufacturing schedule, so he will in
frequently carry more than three.
Frequent complaints and charges, of in
accuracy in preceding censuses have aris-'
en- from distrust OF the enumerators.
Not infrequcntly the gross ignorance OF
an enumerator rendered his work value
less.
A stream cannot rise above its source
and the census cannot rise N accuracy
above the standard established by the
en,merators Concerning affairs whether
local or national in importance, but
which only admit of national, adlninistra-
ton, the citizen feels little personal re-
.sisansibility. The Federal census Is pri-
marty of local Importance. For the
United States as a whole general aver
age Will bc reached of a ma nitude which
inaccurate returns from a considerable
number of L. DIS will not essentially af-
feet. On the other hand. In any politi-
cal district, the peoples constitutional
rights may be seriously impaired by a
dishonest or incompetent enumeration
Where rival political parties Predomi-
nate in different parts, of the same state,
the Constitutional superintendent of rep
resentation upon the census basis OF pop
ulation decides State, and, at times, ma
tional issues
1t, DIS self-eridcnt that cnumerators in
such districts should be of unquestioned
ability and integrity.
OF the $4,000 enUmerators for whose ap-
pointment and work the Census sOffice
must be held responsible, 1t can have no
direct knowledge, but IT has prepared and
Will send out a test schedule which each
candidate is expected to fill out according
TO accompanying instructions. From
this schedule when completed and re-
turned, an iGea of his ability to compre-
thend and follow instructions will be OBJ
tanned. For his honesty and integrity
those who recommend dim must be held
responsible.
A general realization by American citi-
zens Of their personal interest In a sue
Ccssful prosecution of the canvass by this
R4hlte-tape army should arouse senti-
-r1 \ j,
each enumeration district citizens would
concern themselves about the selection
OF their registrar and local arhter.
A SOURCE OF PRIDE.
A marked degree of pride and patriot
ism local and national, was evoked when
the National Guard was called out for
service in the Spanish-American war. In
order that dread of lost employment
should not be added TO the risk and dam
ger of a soldiers life, many employers
held open for their men the places they
had left and not infreGuently continued
the payment of their salaries. SO that a
private soldiers small pay might not be
the only dependence OF their families.
.i,he white tape army should be made up
of men of as high a standard as those
who of late won the worlds respect and
admiration. They should be quick, COM
D,etenf, courteous, tactful and truthful.
Il
and four in rural districts they Wall spend
in gaining entrance to those impregnable
CASTLES the homes Of American citizens.
10 prove their victory, correct replies to
all the schedule questions must be re-
corded for each of these castles. The
white-taTse soldier will have no chance
for glory or prefer1nent. lie must find
courage in feeling that peace hath its
victories and that 1.-The world knows
nothing of IT'S greatest men." When he
shall have completed has duties-incIdent-
ally making enemies for Life of village
ssossips who did not want TO tell theiC
own ages but demanded to read those
OF everybody else-he viii receive a
compensation which the Director OF the
Census is eiideaSorlng to fix at such a
rate That: each energetic enumerator may
ear, at least three dollars q day under
the cos,ds lions prevailing In his district.
New that the high tide OF prosperity
leaves few men of the required ability
unemployed, the enlistment OF this white
cape army should waKen feelings OF local
md indiYidual resionS sbEfty. Bnun.era.
tors are To be residents OF the districts
where they pert form duty. Voters In each
ssistrica, should satisfy Themselves that
,titable selections Of enumerators are
made. IN the 7ocai and aticnai value OF
che service were better understood the
e.,,,.t,ey.at tors Office would att aini greater