Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-02
Some Things You Want to Know
The Thirteenth Census. Preparing the Data

medium. he must make the questions few
and simple enough to secure essential ac-
curacy IN collection. vet many and, elabo-
rate enough to secure ccurscy Of Inter.
Director Durant cites the instance Of oil
statistics to Illustrate how It Is necessary
TO have more than the figures Of Cost aud
production to show the true condition OF
the oil business now and a score of years
aRo. Then the oil was shipped mostly i'm
barrels, and the per gallon price for CEN
sus purposes was made to include the cost
OF the retailers. Now. IL is shipped mainly
in bulk, and the per gallon price does not
include the cost Of retailers. SO, IN order
to proerly compare the past with the pres
ent many questions must be asked to
elucidate the relation between oil and con
tanners,
Another thing the schedule trainers has
to bear in mind Is that there arc dozens
OF questions that might he asked, which,
II they could elicit the information de
sired, would give the most valuable data.
Yet from the nationwide standpoint II
would be impossible to gather information
on such points. The man who makes out
the questions always must consider what
are the possibilities Of getting satisfactory
answers to the question he would ask.
For instance. Il would he highly edifying
to know just how much pin money each
person in the United states spends In a
year. Yet how many people could even APP
propriate their expenditures OF small
change?
The population schedule Is now, as 1t
ever has been, the most important OF ap
the schedules. Primarily designed as a
mere counting Of noses for the purpose OF
opp,rttopVpu voprogoptotiop In Cpuureqq all
the other Inquiries have come about as in
cidential and collateral, and although they
are Of deep interest, the actual count OF the
people is stiil the most important phase OF
the work. on this count may depend the
political complexion Of the nation. This
year the population schedule will carry
some new questions. one will be relative
TO whether a person Is an employer or an
employe. and IL the latter, how steadily
employed he is. This was added at the
instance of the labor organizations. What
the man who lives on O salary aud hires a
servant will answer is something OF a
puzzle. Another question will relate to
whether the person questioned was a
union or an confederate soldier. and the
showing upon the question will be of in
terest. t.
The preparations for the taking OF the
III NAAHA ~ NAN ~
and satisfactory in the history of census
taking. This is the first time there ever
has been a permanent census TO serve as a
nucleus for the greater organization. The
permanent census established is, made up
largely of the cream OF the force which
took the twelfth census-the people who
made food in that undertaking, As the
standing army forms the nucleus around
v-IG,h tla cn,,ptrv unaa 1tnon a war foot
ing. so the permanent census force gives
tone and direction to the raw recruits
that have to be mustered in for the big
count. . w.
While Uncle sam has Insisted by an act
Of congress that every man, woman and
child make true and faithful answer when
the enumerator comes around, and has pro
vlded a fine and imprisonment for wilful
failure to give such swe he is equally
careful to assure the people that they
shall be protected IL they answer we'll and
truly. The enumerator is required to hold
in sacred secrecy the things he learns in
the discharge OF his duties. and a jail SEN
tence stares him in the face if he dtvulges
any information he obtains. No matter II
he unearths the biggest tax-dodger in tho
country; no matter IL ne finds even a no.
torlous criminal, his mouth must be for
ever closed.
Much has been written about the dlvorc-
ing OF the thirteenth census from politics.
OF course those who know the ways OF
politics are aware that an absolute divorce
is out Of the question, Yet there is this
much that seems certain: While politics
still will figure in it to some extent, it
will not in anywise be allowed to interfere
with the excellence OF the work or the &C
curacy Of the returns, Where all else is
equal, the republican naturally will get the
best Of it. but political considerations
never will be allowed to outweigh the in
terests OF the work itself.
with the preparation Of the thirteenth
census the most complete in thee history
OF censuses and with the people possessing
a deeper interest in governmental affairs
today than ever before, those who are ac-
q%uainted with the situation believe that
conditions are ripe for the most satisfac-
tory. thorough. and accurate census the
nation has yet seen-even II IL Is the thir-
teenth. '...
ny Frederick j. Haskin.A
Tomorrow-The Thirteenth census.
u-6athsFinE the Data.