Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1909-12-31
MR.. NAGEL TO
THE SUPERVISORS
The Secretary's Vigorous
Address Following the
Presidents.

Secretary NageI OF the Department
Of Commerce and Labor, under whose
supervision is - work Of the Bureau
Of the Censn the conference Of
eastern state supervisors here, gave
a vigorous talk on the subject Of their
duty, in which he emphasized and
added to what had been said by the
President to the Census Geld chiefs
previously at the white House. The
Seer etary said:
"I wanted a chance to meet you
not to speak to you, but TO shake
hands and possibly to exchange q
word here and there ss occasion
might offer. There is a furthur rea.
son why it will be difficult for me to
say anything at this time We have
rule that after the President has
spoken his Secretaries have nethi1g
to say. GLaughter.[ l happened to
be in the White House when you
we're there, and heard what the Pres
ident said. To now repeat would
not give emphasis; to add is barely
psrdo nable.
81 am very glad that you did have
an opportunity, however, to meet
the President himself and to hear
from him just what the attitude Of
the Executive on this matter OF the
taking Of the census is: and 1 am
glad that he had an opportunity TO
say TO you how throughly he is in
earnest abnut what he has heretofore
said.
at is unnecessary for me to dwell
upon the importance of correct cen.
sus. OF course, we want to take a
better census than has ever before
been taken-and that is no disparsge
ment of the work of predecessors
We ought 10 improve; we ought to
improve for reasons which are self
evident; we ought tn improve be-
cause the need tor a correct and ade
quate census now is greater than it
has ever been befnre. II is % on
account of the growth of our country,
and because we are coming into re-
Iations with other countries, so that
a correct report and reliable state
ment, to be nsed not only at home
but for comparison with what other
countries are doing. Is the one essen
tial foundation of all calculations.
snow, we have done, as we think,
what we can TO accomplish that re-
suit. So far as we could, we have
piacee in charge here at the head
men who are experienced. competent
and enthusiastic OF course. the Office
here might be perfect in it's machin
cry and its administration, and yeI
the entire work would be a failure
unless you did what the President
indicated this morning. After all
granting a false premise anything
can be proved. No matter how fins
the superstruciure may be, If tb'
foundation Ia not right the building
is not worth anything. 1t Is for yoJ
to furnish the foundation for what il
going TO be done, You are responsi
BILE to the Director, to me, and to thu
President. That Is the importance
Of your position.
Snow, there is a LOT Of human na
ture in this thing, as was indicates
to yot this morniug. You will hav
to be judges of good many things
and you will have to show some dis
erection. And there is a lot Of humal
T nature beyond yon when it comes 3
I the activities Of the enumerator
themselves. A man might, for Illus
tFation, be a good business maE an
: yet not be q good en0merator, be
r cause he might not have the conf
dence Of the people with whom b
{ has to deal. II is not always cas-
to get men Of the right qualities
4 tions. II is easy enough to make el
aminations. but it must be left fC
lyon to decide, according TO such el
aminatous as you may make. and &
coFding TO suce jungment as you ma
be able to apply to the cases. who al
the proper men 10 be recommends
. to the Director for the work which
:, to furnish the foundation Of the eeI
sus that is ultimately to be completes
= .;NOw, l trust that You are shoy
= ing a lot of human nature 10 takir
" these places. When people say thi
the Government should be run {
business principles, 1 always rep
y 'Yes. so far as bookkeeping is CO
u cOrning, that is true; but as far
employment of human energy is co
oorned, it can not be true, becau
r the Government does not pay enOul
TO make It worth while for comps
r ent men TO do what Is expecte'
a. That is the truth-ofit II we did q
sy have enthusiasm and sentiment q
TO love OF country aud desire to appe
r'gh' among cur fellow men the Ga