Mexico Missouri message., 1910-01-06
THE CENSUS.
An Interview With Census Super
visor Clarence A Barnes. .

simple test which capdidates for
enumerators' places will undergo
February 5 does not take away the
supervisors right under the census
law to designate suitable persons
for such positions" said Supervis-
or of Census Clarence A. Barnes
at his Office to day.
1T is designed to aid the Super
visors 10 the exercise of that dis
erection and to enable the Census
Director iutelligenlly to use the
power of approval of the supervis-
ors' designations conferred upon
him by law.
1t is very we'll understood that
President Taft, Secretary Nagel,
aud Census Director Durand all
hold the supervisor responsible for
the enumeration There Is no
doubt, therefore, that our first aud
most important duty is the selec-
ton of honest, capable and active
persons to make the count.
THE Census will be taken. not
by the Census Bureau officers or
the supervisors, but by the enum-
orators. They are the ones who
come in contact with the people
and get the facts. Unless every
single enumeratOr does his whole
aud proper duty there can not be
correct census. Thrre can not
be anything of greater scientific
value to this country than accurate
statistics as the basis of a study of
the existing conditions regarding
our population, agriculture, manu-
features, and mines and qnarries.
All persons, unless specifically
disqualified, are entitled to apply
to take the test. Ouly those under
Is years of age and over 20, aud
those who have not become citizens
of the United States, are barred.
1 Otherwise, all persons, regardless
of sex and political affiliations, are
eligible. 1t is left to. my judg.
ment whether it is wise to appoint
women in my district. They can
do the work, / have no doubt, es.
pecially in certain parts of the dis
trict. There were a good many
employed all over the country in
the Twelfth Census. 20
The time for closing the con.
sideration Of applications is Janu-
uary %. Those received after that
date have to be ignored, Applica-
tious should be addressed in writ
ing to me at this Office and not tC
the Census Director. l will senc
inquirers the necessary form an6
instructions concerning it. After.
ward 1 will send those on the list
prior to the test, a set Of directions
for filing out the test papers. This
will enable everyone to come wei
I
prepared. Nothing could be fairel
or better calculated to insure q
satisfactory applicant passing tn,
Test.
THE test itself need not dete
anyone. Any person with com
mon sense and a common schoo
: education can pass it. ALI it con
sists of is giving the candidates
! sample population aud agricultur
al schedules, upon which are to b.
I written in the proper columns tn
required details, which are fddnt
in printed descriptions. in nara
tive form, Of typical families anC
-, farms supposed to be in a district
, There will be some instances re
quiring the exercise of judgemen
to decide whether a given entr.
t should be made under one column
g heading or another. You eau Sc
r how simple and elementary it is.
THE test will be held all owe
e the country and in every supervis
! or's district February 5, Their
!. will be several places in each dis
trict for taking it. One plae
would be insufficient. Itwould no
hold al the candidates. AS super
visor, / shall have the direction o