Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-11-25

PACKER Dill, WnlCn provinces Tor the
thirteenth census, but in the grand
rush to finish the session it was left
untouched, along with several other
necessary bills. But because this
bill will give Director North all due
rights to undertake the preparations
I in earnest congress- will dispose of
this bill among the very first when
1t convenes again in December.
Will Cost $4,000, 900.
The census will cost Uncle Sam at
least $l4,O0O,0O0, but the value re-
ceiyed for this sum by the American
people will prove that the appropria-
tion for this work is not a financial
waste.
In order to ask every citizen of the
United States and in all her outlying
possessions, his name, $4,000 enum-
orators will be appointed. In this
country one enumerator will be as
signed to territory which he can
thoroughly canvass in about three
weeks. This enumerator goes from
house to house. except the public in
stitutions for which special enumera-
tors have been assigned, and asks
fe the number occupation, sex, ma
tionality, etc., of the family. The
number Is punched on card which
the. census enumerator has received
from the central bureau, and when
these cards are filled they are for
warded to the district supervisors,
who are directly responsible for all
reportsto the census bureau at Wash
ington, where the figures are tabu-
lated and arranged for publication.
Divided Into District.
The district supervisors number $50
and appointed under the civil service
rule. They are to have jurisdiction
over an area about as large as con-
gressional district. But the large
force Of ennmerators will be selected
from the names sent in by the pol
iticians who find this system a YER
dant debt eliminator and is also q,
source Of qualification to many an, az
dent office seeker. But the politician
does not have full sway, for each ap-
plicant is subjected to q. real exam
ination which will bar any one unfit
for the task. Each enumerator is paid
from $50 to $3.50, according to the
\ time he is required to spend in his
territory.
In he census bureau in Washing.
ton there are 5000 clerks whose
work requires quick and accurate
eye and mind. The tabulation and
separation of these homogeneous peo.
pie into the Glasses, and according to
various! tables is q great enterprise
and demands fit men. This clerical
force is chosen under the civil SER,
vice and is intended to be the keen
est set of mathematicins and tabu-
lators in the country.
Make Important Changes.
Important changes in the tabulation
and compilation Of the census and
in the method Of publication of the
returns will be made. For one thing,
as the modern spirit demands, the
returns to be considerably condensed.
The twelfth census required ten vol
umes for its publication. Director
North will endeavor to publish the
entire census of 1910 in six or at the
most seven volumes. This is impos-
sibie unless the mortaliay statistics
are dropped ss is planned. THE,
proved unsatisfactory as they were
collected in the last decennial CEN
sus and were not published until
about two years after the enumera-
tion, hence the statistics were utter
ly unreliable for use.
Another change that is thought to
assure accuracy and throughness will
be the fact that the next census will
begin the first day of April, instead
OF June as has been the custom in
previous years. It was discovered
that goodly percentage of the Amer
icsn people had tendency to go
seaward in the summer months and
hence the enumerators were certain
to find many houses deserted and the
occupants gone after June 1. It is
thought that the first of April will
find most people at home.
The Crumpacker bill has provi-
sion for five-year census of agri-
culture. Secretary Wilson is firm
believer in this feature of the bill,
for the United States has advanced &c
rapidly in an agricultural way that he
finds that the department loses all
it,; bearing utterly If the census is
taken only once in every ten years.
The five-year limit for the census
of manufacturing has already been
iLaugurated. The same reasons
J which prompted this change will hold
good for the general census, and it
may not provide for general five
year enumeration. This country
) grows by such leaps and bounds that
Il decennial census loses its value in
a few years and no accuracy can be
expected from any census figures
eight or nine years old.
; >On account of this very important
reason congress will in the near fu
ture be compelled to rectify this ac
knowledged fault, and the census will
become valuable asset to Uncle Sar
to know exactly where he stands fl
! nancially. politically, socially and il
fact, every way necessary to ad
9 vance the interest Of his millions o.
= people.