Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-12-14
FACTS ABOUT THE CENSUS.

In the preceding issue VI lHe ELL
quirer, a statement was given Of the
probable division of York county into
census districts with the exception OF
Kings Mountain township, which will
probably be divided into two districts
and have two enumerators.
United States Census Director Dur
and issued on last Friday, a statement
defining the qualifications, duties and
compensation of census enumerator5.
The supervisors must designate suita-
BILE persons for the work, and each
enumerator will be passed upon by the
director It is provided, the statement
declares, that the census takers will
be selected solely with view to fit
ness, and without reference to party
affiliations.
In accordance with letter address
ed by the president to the secretary
of commerce and labor, concerning
political activity on the part Of CEN
sus supervisors and enumerators, the
enumerators must sever their connec-
tions with any political committees of
which they may be members, before
entering on their duties, and must re-
frain from political activity during
their terms Of office.
THE census act provides" said Mr..
Durand, that the enumeration Of pop
ulation and agriculture shall begin
April Is, 1910, and that each enumer-
ator shall complete the work required
In his district within thirty days in
the case of rural districts and small
towns, and within two weeks in the
case of any incorporated city, town,
village or borough which had 5000 in
1, ~
1900.
1T is desirable, where possible, that
the enumerator shall live in the dis
familiar with its territory and the gen.
eral character Of its people.
The census requires as enumera-
tors active, energetic persons of good
address. They must be thoroughly
trustworthy, honest, and of good hab-
its. They must have at least ordinary
education and be able to write plainly
and reasonably rapidly. In general,
preference will be given to former
enumerators If they are at present phy-
sically able to perform the "'ties of
the position"
Each person." continued the direc-
tor, seeking appointments as enumera-
tor must make written application to
the supervisor Of his district, In his
own handwriting, and must be endors-
ed by two representative business men
Of the community In which the ap-
plicant resides.
"All applicants for appointment as
enumeratCrs will be required to take
an examination, to be prescribed by
the director of the census, to deter
mine their fitness. This examination
will be practical, consisting chiefly or
wholly of the filling out Of a sample
schedule of population from data fur
nished, and in the case Of enumeratCrs
whose work will be in rural districts,
the filling out Of a sample schedule of
agriculture.
Each applicant Is furnished with an
illustrative example of the manner Of
filling the population schedule and, in
country districts, with a copy Of the
agricultural schedule to which, in the
main, the work of the census enumer-
schedules are furnished for the infor-
nation Of the applicant and should be
studied and preserved for use in con-
nection with the examination referred
to in the preceding paragraph.
1T will be necessary for each emu
merator before entering upon his du-
ties, to receive commission, under
hand Of the supervisor Of the district,
and to take and make an oath that he
will faithfully discharge all the duties
required Of him under law.
THE census act provides that an
enumerator, after accepting an ap-
pointment, and qualifying for the
work, cannot, without justifiable cause,
refuse or neglect TO perform the du-
ties of the position, and he will be re-
III. H.
time to the work.
THE compensation to be paid to
enumerators is fixed by the census
act, and an allowance of not less than
nor more than 4. cents for each in
habitant, and not less than 20 nor
more than 80 cents for each farm re-
ported, and 10 cents for each barn
and inclosure containing live stock
not On farms. Is provided for all sub
divisions where the census director
shall deem such remuneration suffi-
cient. In other sub divisions the di-
rector may fix mixed rate Of not
less than 81 nor more than 81 per day,
and in addition, an allowance of not
less than l nor more than cents for
each inhabitant enumerated, and not
less than Is nor more than 20 cents for
each farm reported, while in sub-divis-
ions where per diem rates are neces-
sary, because of the difficulty Of the
enumeration, the enumerator may be
allowed, in the discretion of the direc-
tor, a compensation Of not less than SO
nor more than Sc per day for eight
hours actual field work each. Except
in extreme cases, no claim for mileage
or travelling expenses will be allowed,
and then only when authority has been
previously granted by the director"
These facts and figures will interest
thousands Of people in every state of
the Union, as 1t is estimated that each
district will have about
$50 enumerators, and that more than
three times that number will apply for
each position, North Carolina and Vir-
ginia should have about $500 enumer-
ators each and South Carolina not less
than 1000 The jobs will be worth
about 500 apiece in the rural dis
tricts, and almost any fairly we'll edu-
Gated man can hold one.