Evening journal., 1900-05-29
READY FOR
THE CENSUS
How the Work viii Be Man
aged in Washington
ARMY WILL BIZ EMPLOYED
In the Large Building Set Aside for
That Exclusive Work in the
National Capital
ARMY WILL Be EMPLOYED

the first of June, in accordance
with the act under which this bureau
Is organized. an army OF enumerators
will proceed TO count the citizens OF
the Republic and collect a great many
other facts pertaining to its agricultur-
al and mechanical industries that will
be Of profound interest not only to
ourselves but to all the inhabitants Of
the civilized world.
The census taken in the year OF our
Lord 1900 means a great deal more, and
involves a great deal more than n sim
liar work in the year 1889. IL is not
likely that the gentleman who acted
as superintendent of the first census
had the slightest conception OF what al
similar operation would mean at the
end OF the nineteenth century. Origl-
nally the census was taken for the pur-
pose Of enumerating the inhabitants
OF the country, with a view OF carrying
into effect the constitutional enactment
requiring the apportionment, every ten
years OF the members Of the national
Legislature proportion to the number
OF people contained in the Federal I'm
ion. As the years have gone on. from
a mere count OF inhabitants the census
has developed into a vast Industrial
and sociological undertaking. until
to-day the work placed upon
this bureau has no counter
part, 80 far as q statistical enterprise
is concerned, In the civilized world
The last census required between six
and eight years to prepare, tabulate
and finish. The law under which we are
now organized directs us 10 complete
the four census reports proper-that is,
f0ttI vie ful fu
tics mechanical and manufacturing
inQuiries-within two years from the
first OF the coming July. All the work
of the Office and all OF it's plans have
been laid out wi,n this in view although
il Is almost impossible in emergency
work OF this kind to calculate, with
any accuracy, the amoul of time that
be required TO acquire certain infor-
nation, and the necessities that viii
arise before the same can be properly
tabulated and printed must be more
or less of a conjecture; but no effort
will be spared 10 carry out the law of
Congress, and so far as we can see we
snail be able. at the date named, tc
give the public the census reports in
acrardanee With the present law
In order TO effect these results. how
ever. Il has been necessary TO lay out
definite plan of organization not only
for the preliminary work, but to pro
vide a large clerical force, large
building, a large printing office, and
enormous quantities of stationery
blanks. etc. For the past fifteen
months the officers in charge OF the
work have been recruiting an army
consisting OF supervisors, enumerators
and special agents. for the purpose ol
doing the field work. There were three
hundred supervisors named by the
president OF the United States for work
In different parts OF the country, ap.
pointed nearly a year ago. These super.
visors have selected and named, fol
the purpose Of taking the enumeration
on the first Of June and gathering other
data ffty-two thousand enumerators
IN addition, there are special agents q
the number OF nearly twenty-five hun
dred, engaged in securing reports on
manufacturing and mechanical instiu
tions, as well as other data in con
nection with the agricultural inquiry
All OF these enumerators and specia
agents have to undergo a test OF
certain character. to determine thei
ltness for the work. Millions of sched
ules OF various kinds nave been sent &
enumeratOrs for the purpose of usin
in their work on the first Of June. I
may be said In passing. that much O
the success or failure Of the census vii
be determined by the faithfulness an
efficiency shown by the supervisor
and enumeratOrs. Supervision an
enumeration are the basic factors {
all census work, as these are the fact
upon which the whole fabric Is reare,
A great deal of pains has been take
by those in charge of the Office wor
TO secure not only capable supervisor
but a high class of enumoratOrs
was found in the last census that thot
sands and thousands of schedules ths
were sent TO the Office were utterl
unintelligible and practically Of u
value. 10 is hoped under the carefl
system in vogue In this Office az tn
time to avoid the difficulties OF tn
work of a similar character in the pr,
vious decade.
While all the preparation has bee
going on for the taking Of the enumel
alton and the gathering Of other st;
tistics. provision has been made for IN
acquiring Of a large clerical force me-
ossary to do the actual work after II
statistics have reached the office.
was round, atter securing the best dal
ootainabe. that thirty-two hundro
people would be required TO care Il
the statistics and put them in present,
bic shape and prepare them for Il
printing Office within the two-yes
limit provided by law. One thousan
OF these clerks, however, viii only !
employed In using what are known
the Hollerith tahulating machines. +,
about six months from the first of Jul
Your readers win undoubtedly be vel
much interested to know that the gre;
census of 1900 is to be counted by eie
tricity, thus invoking this great hiddt
force which has so long baffled a
scientists. but has proved so efficaciol
IN carrying into effect mans requir
ments. II is proposed to employ OF
thousand clerks in transferring dai
from the enumerators sheets to cars
about three by six inches in siz
There will t,o in All ouo hundred mi