The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-02-18
TAKING THE CENSUS.
Perplexing Problems Involved in
Counting People-Cost Will Be :.
at Least Fifteen Millions.

news ana courier says:
Just how the task Of coutning the
80,000,000 inhabitants Of the United
States for The next census is going to
be accomplished is a problem that
congressman, department chiefs and
others are trying their best to solve.
AS yet the civil service commission
the body whica will have to settle
the question eventually, is unable to
make Roadway in the matter, because
Of many perplexing problem, which
have presented themselves. Among
these is that Of deciding whether the
force which, will be required for the
work, about 1000 or 5000 persons,
will be chosen from the eligible list
Of The commission or whether they
Snail be taken from civil life.
"rhcre are at the present timc,'
said Gen. Black, Of the commission,
"suilicient eligiblcs on TN: depart
mental rcyistcrs distributed by Stat
es from which these additional cleri-
cal appointments could be made.
Should there be any greater need
for The appointment of greater
number Of cligiblcs than The commits
sion will have upon its registers, ad
dtional examinations could be had
in ample time to meet all possible re
quiremnts. With respect to positions
requiring technical or scientific quail
ificatioas, the commission has been
especially successful in furnishing
wcql--equipped persons, and could
without doubt readily and promptly
secure persons fully qualified for
such positions in the census office. 1t
is not proposed TO apply eXamina-
tions to the cnumerators or supcrvi-
SOrS.
cit was observed during the last
census that the great majority Of
those employed. who took the clerical
examinations Of the commission, were
found to be far below the average in
general intelligence and clerical abil-
ity. These persons had been appoint
ed upon mere pass examinations held
by the census office. Statistics pre-
pared OIL this point on several occa-
sipns show that only about 90 per
cent Of the applicants who were en-
ploycd in The census office were able
to pass the commission s examina-
ton, while Of all other applicants for
the same examinations throughout The
country about 81 per cent passed.
"Such tests Of fitness or eXamina-
tions rs to the Intelligence and cleri-
cal capacity to be required for appli-
cants 70" positions TO the thirteenth
census can be far more efficiently
and economically conducted under the
official machinery already organized
under the competitive system.
"Pcrsons who nave been examined
under the civil service law and rules
should in all equity and fairness be
regarded as eligible for appointment
in the census force. There is no rca-
son or justice in setting that force
aside to be filed under a different
system from that prevailing generally
in the executive service. The merit
system under the civil service rules
is free from partisan color, and so
should be the census; otherwise 10
one can rely upon the accuracy of
its conclusions.
Ti will il,,. l>o ,.oo, that tb, ,,,o,o
bcrs Of the civil service commission
propose to wage a vigorous fgh.
against The patronage system in the
distribution OF positions, which it will
he necessary to fiji in order to prop
erly take the next census.
This is only one of the vexing
questions relating to the taking of
thc thirteenth census with which the
civil service commission is now deal
ing. The large force Of extra employ
ees, however, drafted, must be prop
erly housed and taken care Of. In
addition to that the government must
make provision for paying out some
thing like $l5,000,000, now in the fed
eral treasury, in order that the tax
ing of the next census and the prop
er counting Of the people in the Unit
ed States may be dons.
Tt is recognized tnat the taking of
this census is a tremendous under
taking from all standpoints, and the
commission is determined to secure
such ,privileges and rights as it has