The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-07-24
(ENT CENSUS
OVEN SUCCESS
Regular Employ
ment of StatisticianS.
IT COVERS MANY SUBJECTS
Has Given Substantial Help to Bureaus
Of Labor and Civil
Service.
IT COVERS MANY SUBJECTS


Census Office, the establishments OF
which was long resisted by Congression-
al economists, have demonstrated the
great advantage OF such an Institution in
unifying the statistical work of this
Government. The permanent office has
furnished a great workshop, thorough
~ equipped and manned, to which can
be turned over anything in the way of
statistical compilation that is needed
by any department or bureau of Uncle
Sans great and rapidly extending en-
terprises.
The most striking illustration Of this
was furnished by the returns from the
Philippine Islands. All the tabulation
will be completed by the 18th of Au-
gust making the quickest piece of cen
sus compilation over done IN the world.
and in many respects. il IS said, the
best piece of work These results viii
not be published before the first Of the
Year, because the preparation OF the
text remains to be done, and TO carry
the work through the Government Print
ing Ofhce is tedious matter.
The permanent office is also making
the immigration statistics for the Gov
ernment, which were formerly compiled
IN the immigration Bureau itself. With
the increase of work there IL was
thought better TO turn this over 10 an
establishment fully equipped with ali
y
Census Office is adjusting the data in
such way that the statistics OF i'm
migration will tit in perfectly with the
population statistics, insuring a uni
formity that has long been desirable,
Helping Other Bureaus.
Carroll D. Wright, OF the Bureau OF
Labor. has had the greater part Of his
field force for a long time gathering
wage statistics IN the various industries
for a period covering twelve years.
When the facts that he wanted were
collected. they made such an enormous
mass of material that it would seem
ingly swamp his bureau 10 handle il.
Accordingly, he asked Secretary COrtel-
you 10 authorize its transfer TO the Cen
sus ONCE, where ii has since been tabu-
lated.
The President issued an order, it viii
be recalled. for the compilation OF the
statistics OF the civil service. These
have been prepared by the Civil Service
Commission, but the work of tabulat ton
would have proved altogether too heavy
for its small force. 1t has been turned
over TO Director North of the Census.
with the result that the tables are now
all ready TO go 10 the printing office.
This Will prove one OF the most inter-
esting Of Government publications. 1t
viii show the civil service Of the United
States classified from every point or
view-ages. salaries. sexes, length or
time in office. and other details
~ seems likely that the Census Office
VIII eventually do the statistical work
fOr all branches of the Government. As
a permanent establishment il can take
in work of this character TO good ad-
vantage because IL Is not tied down by
any time limit on its current reports.
The social and financial statistics Of
cities of over 10000 inhabitants, which
have long been compiled annually by
the Labor Bureau, have already been
turned over 20 the Census Office, which
Will hencefOrth handle them in such
way as 20 make them fit into the decen-
NAL returns of the cities Of all sizes.
The two undertakings viii thus be con-
sOlidated into one for this deCennial
period. while the annual fluctuations Will
correspond IN form. Technology and
methods with the regular censuses
which are taken every ten years.
The permanent Census Office is now
taking its first step in cooperative work
with the States. under a law passed by
the last Congress, authorizing the d.
rector 10 cooperate with Michigan in
the State census OF manufactures which
she is about 10 take.
Forty agents from the Census Office
were sent 10 Michigan last Wednesday.
The State appoints as many more. and,
though coming one year early, the re-
turns will be made part Of the regu-
lar quinquennial census of manufac-
lures. II is regarded as unfortunate
that Michigan has chosen this year in
stead OF next. and II IS the only State
IN the Union that has done so, but as
this IS a provision of AIichigau's consti-
tuition. and not part Of ner statutes,
II cannot easily be corrected