Los Angeles herald., 1908-02-08
CLEAR, CRISP AND CLEAN
CENSUS SUGGESTION

NENSUS taking is huge decennlal
national political pie. 1t gives OPP
~ portunities for employment to $4,000
citizens Of the United States, and, in
consequence of dull times in ordinary
business pursuits. there are now up
wards of a quarter of a million who
are eager to serve as canvassers, count
ers. bookkeepers, registry clerks-"any
old thing" in connection with the CEN
sus bureau. This bureau was put upon
a permanent basis under the civil serv-
ice laws. But when Washington adopt
ed that reform everything was lovely
the country was in a state of booming
prosperity, and it was not expected
that census taking would prove at
tractive to men whose natural abilities
fitted them for work in which more
initiative and less drudgery is required.
In consequence of hard times, press
ure that may well be described as ire
mendous is being brought upon Wash
ington in the endeavor to have civil
service rules and laws either ignored
or suspended in choosing census ofn-
Gals. AS every statesman has
pledged himself to take care of his con-
stituents, and as each is determined TO
"get all he cam" in the good old style,
there can be little doubt that the census
bureau will be rushed and may possibly
be raided. While in the scramble many
deserving men may be assigned to posi-
lions which they may fill acceptably,
it is not improbable that many persons
of a less deserving type may be tolsted
upon Uncle Sans pay rolls.
A miscount is worse than no census
at all. For ten years that miscount
would be made the basis of calculations
which, while they were in themselves
accurate. would be in the very nature
of things miscalculations. If the CEN
sus is not to be a farce, or, what is
worse, a humbug, the efficiency of the
office and field corps should be kept
up. Congress should intervene to re-
strain the ardor of patrons and patron
ICED. Although this will place some
congressman in the apparent predica-
ment of restraining or even of rebuk-
ing themselves, they may be only too
glad of an excuse to be rid of the
persecution to which they may be sub
1eeted by the more persistent and in
sistent Office seekers.
If it has not been suggested before
and we do not think that it has-then
let it be suggested now that it might
be economical, wise and in every re-
spect judicious to use the school CEN
sus as the nucleus for the next national
census. Make each school in every big
city a census bureau, responsible for
its own district, and if the principal is
not placed in supervision of his own
district, at least let him be called into
consultation. The school principals, es-
peoially in crowded metropolitan areas.
have a far more accurate rough idea
of the population than any other pro-
fessional or business men. With this
rough idea for a basis, and with their
knowledge of the human nature and
characteristics of each district (Which
are reflected accurately in the schools),
they could undertake or direct the CEN
sus work with efficiency and satisfac-
ton. OF course they will take fright
at the suggestion that census work
may be added to their other onerous
duties, but the government should aid
their energies by generous doses of doll
lars and cents-which under certain
conditions form the most stimulating
a,ad ewhfIaratinp medicine in all the
pharmacopoeias of our civilization.