The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-12-30
MR.. NAcEI 10 THE SUPERVISORS


/ AAN 0ctAOAaAg NAb1AVu@ nAuACno 1NA-
lowing The Presidents.
Washington. b. c., Dec 80. Secretary
Nagel Of the department Of commerce
and labor under whose supervision IL
the work Of the bureau Of census, at
the conference Of eastern state supervis-
ors here. gave vigorous talk on The
subject Of their duty, in which he en-
phasized and added TO what had been
said by the president to the census field
chiefs previously at the White House
The secretary said
Il wanted chance to meet you not
to speak to you, but to shake hands and
possibly exchange word here and there
as occasion might offer There Is a
further reason why il will DO difficult
for me to say anything at this time,
We have 4 rule that after the presi-
dent has spoken his secretaries have
nothing to say. lLaughter.l hap
pened to be IN the White House when
YOU were there, and heard what the
president said. To now repeat would
not give emphasis; to add is barely par
donabIe
Il am very glad that you did have an
opportunity, however, to meet the presi-
dent yourself and to hear from him just
/ what the attitude Of the executive on
this matter Of taking the census il;
and / am glad that he had an opportun-
lily to say TO you how thoroughly lie
| is in earnest about what he has hereto-
fore said
ut II unnecessary for me to dwell up
on the Importance OF a correct census.
OF course, we want to take better
census than has ever before been taken
land that is no disparagement Of the
work of predecessors We ought to i'm.
prove; we ought to improve foF reasons
which are self.eyident; we ought TO inn
tprove because the need for correct and
adequate census now is greater than ii
/ has ever been before 1t Is 50 on ae-
count of The growth Of our own coun-
try. and because we are coming into re.
4 lations with other countries SO that
4 a correct report and a reliable state
lment, to be used not only at home but
4 for comparison with what other coun-
tries are doing, il the one essential
foundation Of all calculations
~Now. we have done. rs we think,
what we can to accomplish that result.
50 far as we could we have placed ID
charge here at the head men who are
experienced, competent, and enthusiastic.
l0f course, the Office here might be per-
feet ia It's machinery and it, administra-
Ition. and yet the entire work would be
"a failure unless you did what the pgesi-
dent indicated this morning. After all
granting d false premise anything ran
/ be proved. No matter how fine the sup
erstrneture may be. If the foundation
/ is not right the building is not worth
lanything. II Ii for Won 70 furnish the
foundation for Vhat II going TO be done.
You are responsible TO the director to
me, aud to the president. That Is the
Importance Of your position
Now, there IA q lot of human nature
III this thing. as Was Indicated to yau
this morning You will have to be
Judges Of good many things, and you
will have To show some discretion And
there is lot OF human nat1re beyond
you when II comes to the activities Of
the enumerators themselves A man
might, for Illustration, be q good bus
mess man ana vet not BE q good ennm.
orator because he might not have the
confidence Of the people with whom he
has to deal Ii if not always easy to-
get men Of file RIGHT qualifications. It
Is easy enough to make examinations,
but it must be left for You to decide
decide according to such examinations
IS you may make. and according 20 such
Judgment al Won may be able to apply
to the cases, who are the proper men 70
be recommended to the director for tie
work which Is to furnish the foundation
Of the census that il ultimately to be
completed