The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1909-10-07
CENSUS ECONOMY
IN FARM REPORTS
Director Durand Hopes to Save Sew
eral Hundred Thousand Dollars
in Taking Census.

Washington. D. c., Oct. limited
States Census Director e. Dana Dur
and hopes to save several hundred
thousand dollars in taking the census
Of agriculture and also to increase the
accuracy of the statistics.
The director stated today that at
the census Of 1900 the agricultural
data were handled by means Of punch
ed cards. For each farm large num-
ber of cards had to be punched. as
the number of facts recorded re-
garding a farm was far greater
than the number of facts required re-
garding an individual in the popula-
tion census.
Director Durant said the statistics
of population and of agriculture are
collected by a different force from that
employed in gathering the statistics
of manufactures. The population ana
agricultural data are secured by en-
umerators of whom there will be about
65, 900 at the present census, they in
turn being appointed by the super
visors, Of whom there are about $780,
The difficulty of securing competent
and faithful enumerators is very great.
The length of service is very short,
Is days in the cities and 30 days in the
country districts. The period is too
short to Justify man who has good
job in quitting it, while on the other
hand it is too long in most cases to
enable such men to get leave from
their regular work to take the census.
Moreover the pay is small, averaging
perhaps three dollars per day in the
country districts and triie more in
the cities, practically tn epay Of or
binary mechanics. Not only, therefore
are most Of those who seek to be
enumerators men who are able to com
mand only moderate pay in their oc-
cupations, but many of them are able
to command regular employment and
who are looking for odd jobs.
Consideration has been given by the
authorities from time to time to the
plan pursued in Germany and some
other European countries, by which
the census is taken chiefly or wholly
| by men serving without pay. who
either volunteer their service from
patriotic motives or who are required
! to act He doubts whether conditions
in this country are ripe for such a
scheme At any rate, nothing Of this
sort can be done at the present CEN
sus. 1t may, however. be hoped that
to some slight extent and possibly TO
considerable extent. men can be in
duced to accept the position of enumer-
ator from interest in the work rather
than for the compensation involved.
He hopes that considerable number
o. the colleges and universities of the
country may see fit to give leave of
absence to their students for the short
time required to do this work of enum-
GRAFTON. The college student is a very
useful enumerator in some cases, but
it is exceedingly desirable that enum-
orators should actually live in the
districts where they work, and there
are muiltitudes Of districts where no
college students reside or where such
students are in Institutions hundreds or
thousands Of miles from their homes.
Another class who can render good
service as enumerators are school
teachers. but. with the enumeration
taking place in April and May instead
of June as formerly, few school teach
ers can be spared form their duties to
take the census.