Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-10-21
THE MEN IN THE CENSUS.

THE MEN IN THE CENSUS.
Director Of the Census E. D. Dur
and, in a recent statement conveys to
the public some enlightenment re-
garding the selection of enumerators,
and the reason that their selection by
civil service examination is not prac-
tical. The statement of the director
will be interesting as covering the Sc
lection, both of state supervisors, and
of district enumerators. Mr.. Durand
says:
''It has been suggested from time to
time that more ehcient enumerators
might be secured by competitive ex.
animation open to everybody. There
is no doubt that if the expense and
time required were not prohibitive, it
would be advantageous to hold such
an examination, although it would be
necessary, instead of merely selecting
those whose ranking in the examina-
ton was the highest, to refer all can
didates who passed to the supervisor,
and allowed him to select those whose
personal characteristics, such as can
not be tested by any written examina-
ton, were most suitable. The diff
Guilty with such an open examination
is the expense and delay involved. 1t
is probable that for the $4,000 places
there would be several hundred thou
sand candidates, and the grading Of
their papers would require a large
force for long time. At some future
census this plan might be worth a
trial, but it can scarcely be attempted
at the present census within the linn
its Of time and appropriations set by
law.
1.-THE census bureau does, Of course
undertake to protect itself against
such obviously incompetent enum-
orators as the supervisors through
their political influence or through
oversight may happen to choose
AT the last census the enum-
orators recommended by the SUPER
visors were all subjected to test ex-
animation, and the same policy will
be pursued this time. About one
sixth, or 5000 of the candidates Sc
lected by the supervisors were reject
ed as result of this test in 1900. 1t
may be wise to make the test at the
present census a trifle more severe
than at the twelfth census. At best
however, such an examination can do
no more than eliminate those who
cannot write plainly and who are
clearly lacking in an understanding
of their duties. 1t can do little to as
sure the selection of men of industry,
tact, or honesty. The judgment, eff.
ficiency, and integrity Of the super
visors must be the prime reliance for
securing enumerators who possess
these fundamental qualifications.
II hope and believe that the super
visors at the present census are on
the whole higher type of men than
those at any preceding census. The
compensation offered to supervisors
is somewhat more than ever before,
but it is not really an adequate re-
enumeration for men of the character
needed. believe that very consid-
.erable proportion of the supervisors
who have been appointed are men
who in their regular occupations or
professions are able to earn much
more than the supervisors pay, and
who have accepted the positions be-
cause Of the honor and responsibility
involved, or from patriotic motives.
There has, however. been no new de.
i parture with respect to the general
method OF selecting supervisors, save
only that in large cities, or most OF
them, selections have largely beep
made Independently OF political rec
concentrations. n #.s ...@.. .
1t may net be inappropriate here
to explain the reason why so-cal1ed
4 political recommendations must be
sought In the appointment OF super.
]. yisors In most districts The super
visor, In order to do his work proper
", must be q resident OF the district
over which he has charge. The posi-
ton Is not one which can be filled b.
civil service examination. A super