The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-12-29
MIR. NAGEL TO THE
SUPERVISORS
The Secretary's Vigorous Address
 Following the Presidents.

| Following the Presidents.
 Washington. Dec. 29.-Secretary Ma gel Of the Department of Commerce | and Labor, under whose supervision | is the work of the Bureau of the Census, at the conference of eastern
 state supervisors here. gave a vigor-
 ous talk on the subject of their duty,
 in which he emphasized and added to
 to the Census field chiefs previously
 at the White House. The Secretary
 said:
 'I wanted a chance to meet you
 not to speak to you, but to shake
 hands and possibly exchange a word here and there as occasion might of
 fer. There is a further reason why
 1t will be difficult for me to say any
 that after the President has spoken
 his Secretaries have nothing to say.
 I happened 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 pardonable.
 'I 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 Ex- ecutive on this matter of the taking of the census is: and I am glad that he had an opportunity to say to you how thoroughly he is in earnest about what he has heretofore said.
 ''It Is unnecessary for me to dwell upon the importance of a correct cen sus. Of course. we want to take better census than has ever before been taken-and that is no disparage- ment of the work of predecessors. We ought to improve; we ought to im- prove for reasons which are self-evi- dent: we ought to improve because the need for a correct and adequate census now is greater than it has ev- CT been before. It Is so on account of the growth of our own country, and because we are coming into rela- tiOns with other countries. so that correct report and a reliable state ment, to be used not only at home but for comparison with what other coun- tries are doing, is the one essential foundation of all calculations.
 Now. we have done, as we think. what we cam to accomplish that re- suit So far as we could, we have placed in charge here at the head men who are experienced. competent, and here might be perfect in it's machinery and its administration, and yet 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 fine the superstructure may be, if the foundation is not right the building is not worth anything. 1t is for you to furnish the foundation for what is going to be done. You are responsible to the Director. to me. and to the President That is the importance of your position.
 Now. there is a lot of human na- ture in this thing, as was indicated to you this morning. You will have to be judges of good many things, and you will have to show some dis cretion- And there is a lot of human nature beyond you when 1t comes to themselves. A man might. for illus tration, be a good business man and yet not be a good enumerator. because he might not have the confidence of the people with whom he has to deal It is not always easy to get men of | the right qualifications. It Is easy enough to make examina tions, but 1t must be left for you to decide. accord ing to such examinations as you may make. and according to such judg- ment as you may be able to apply to the cases. who are the proper men to be recommended to the Director for the work which is to furnish the | foundation of the census that is ul- | timately to be completed.
 Now I trust that you are showing | a lot of human nature in taking these ! Government should be run on busi- | ness principles. I always reply: Yes. | so far as bookkeeping Is concerned. | that is true; but so far as employment | of human energy is concerned. 1t can | not be true. because the Government | does not pay enough to make 1t worth | while for competent men to do what | is expected That is the truth of 1t. | If we did not have enthusiasm and | sentiment and love of country and de- | sire to appear right among our fellow | men. the Government would never | succeed on business principles alone. | It takes something more. It takes | willingness for men to serve their | country in the places to- which they | are called. Your places are import ant. I know we can not pay you, but I hope you may find your com pensation in something better. When | the census has been completed and | Durand has succeeded in | it the best one that has ever | been taken. you may be glad to feel | that your part in it was worth while"