The Washington herald., 1908-03-06
GREAT NATIONAL SNAPSHOT
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

Preparations are now being made for
the putting OF mighty army into the
field by the spring of 1910. 1t is proposed
to take the soldiers of this army and
train them and drill them with great care
for the important work that will confront
them. II will number about 5000 able
bodied American citizens recruited from
every school district IN the land. It is
not to be mustered in for the purpose
OF invading other lands, neither Is II
TO be called into existence TO repel a for
eign foe from our shores. II is an army
OF peace. not of war. II is the great
census army, called into existence 10 fur
nish Uncle Sam snapshot Of himself.
He likes 10 know how he looks every ten
years. He likes 10 take stock and let the
world know once I'm awhile the size or
the clothes he has to wear. And in these
decennial views OF himself he does not
stand back on account of the expense.
Last time II cost him some $1,000 600. and
il will cost about 81 900, 900 more this time.
for he has grown some since then.
The taking Of the thirteenth census
will be the biggest job OF it's kind ever
undertaken by man. To get careful and
accurate information about the more than
90 000.0o0 souls who Will then be living
IN this country, and 10 get all OF that in
formation together within the thirty or
forty days allowed by law. will be a gi-
gantic undertaking But there are indi-
cations that the thirteenth census will
be the most accurate and the most COM
plete census that has ever been taken.
In previous censuses the laws providing
for them have been passed so late as 70
allow little time for the preparation of
the work An illustration OF this is "a
be had from the experience Of Gov. Mer-
Tiam, who was the director OF the last
census. The law under which he was to
assemble his army of census takers and
make all his preparations for the taking
cf the twelfth census. was not passed
until March ?. 1899. When he took charge
OF the work he fell heir 20 one old type
writer. badly out OF repair. one horse OF
uncertain age. one old wagon unfit for
anything but a trashman's vehicle one
old cart. a few scattered records and
papers. 12se 600 reports OF the eleventh cen
sus which had not been placed In the
hands OF the public. and a few odds and
ends OF office furniture. This was al
that was left OF the plant on which had
been expended $11 100000. In fifteen months
he had 20 recruit his army. equip II, drill
it. and be ready for the fray.
Conditions viii be vastly different with
the taking of the thirteenth census Six
years ago to-day the bill creating the
permanent Census Bureau was passed
Through II there has been kept together
the very cream OF the workers under the
twelfth census. BY this time every one
Of the 400 workers in that bureau has
become an expert in his line They win
furnish the nucleus OF the big force that
must be gathered together. The director
has had years OF the most valuable train
ing. and each Of his stan assistants has
enjoyed like advantages.
Instead OF a noHdescript. bargain-day
lot OF things 10 start with, like Gov. Mer-
riam had. Director North will start IN
with a bureau fully equipped with every
sort OF appliance that can promote IN,
work Of census taking All that he vii
have 10 do will be 10 spread out In ad
dition 10 these advantages. he viii star
out in his great work with a law passed
year earlier than that under which
Gov. Merriam operated. II Will give hin
opportunity 10 have the go supervisor:
come 70 Washington ard learn theil
duties. II will give the enumerators some
three months TO acQuaint themselves Will
the work they are t0 have in hand. Ant
II Is upon these enumerators that III;
real value OF the work must depend. Tn,
| preliminary work may be likened 70 tn,
! preparation OF meal. the enumeration
70 the eating OF It. and the tabulation e
the assimilation OF the food thus eaten
II all depends on what is eaten in thi
/ case. If the enumerators do not do thei
work well, there can be no accuracy no
any opportunity 10 rectify the errors
Another feature OF the thirteenth censu
will be the omission Of the collection O.
data relating 70 vital statistics. The per
manent census has been collecting thi
line Of information every year. and thi
covers about one-half OF the population
Of the country. Instead Of vital statistic
there viii be information gathered abou
/ mines and mining and quarries. The fiel,
work will also be done earlier than here
tofore Much difficulty has been expert
/ enced on previous occasions because fl
/ the cities many people would shut "
/ their homes and go 70 the mountains o
/ the seashore about the time OF the emu
/ meration. To obviate this. the count vii
/ take place beginning April IS. 1910 Tn
/ tabulating will be done by electrical ma
chimes. Millions OF cards VIII be punch
| ed on electric machines not dissimila
4 TO an electric typewriter These card
wifi then be put through another machine
which viii tabulate the returns Thes
/ machines are the invention OF DR.. Her
man Hollerith. OF Washington They ar
! said TO reduce the work OF tabulstion )
/ per cent. This year the machines will b
! made by the Census Bureau in it's owl
shops. There are now seven experts a
work perfecting the new machiner
which II is proposed 10 use.
In taking a census the government ca
never attain TO the ideal conditions 70
the enumerations. IN getting togethe
some $500 enumerators there are Away
sure TO be some who are fond OF the dol
lar to such an extent that they will re
sort to rather questionable methods I
get it. If compensation is made on IN
piece basis there Is always a tendency Z
make an overcount- II II Is made on
per diem basis there would be enumera
iii Hro1,& fo,. All Wocb,1c-%o-,