The citizen., 1910-01-14
CHOOSING ENUMERATORS.
Supervisor Stump Tells How
They Are to Be Selected.

"The simple test which candidates fo1
enumerators' places will undergo Febru.
ary does not take away the supervisors
right under the census law to designate
suitable persons for such positions, said
Supervisor of Census I. Stump, of this
district, at his office in Cumberland.
1T is designed to aid the supervisors in
the exercise of that discretion and to en-
able the Census Director ntelligently to
use the power of approval of the super
vlsors' designations conferred upon him
by law.
1T is very well understood that Presi-
dent Taft, Secretary Nagle and Census
Director Durand all hold the supervisors
responsible for the enumeration. There
is no doubt, therefore, that our first and
most important duty is the selection 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 enumerators. They are the
ones who come in contact with the people
and get the facts. Unless every single
enumerator does his whole and proper
duty there can not be correct census.
There cannot be anything of greater
scientific value to this country than accur-
ate statistics as the basis of study of the
existing conditions regarding our popula-
ton, agriculture, manufacturers, and
mines and quarries.
IAN persons, unless specifically dis
qualified, are entitled to apply to take the
test Only those under Is years of age
and over 70, and those who have not be-
come citizens of the United States, are
barred. Otherwise, all persons, regard
less of sex and political affiliations, are
eligible. 1t is left to my judgment whether
1t is wise to appoint women in my dis
trict They can do the work, have no
doubt especially in certain parts of the
district. There were a good many en-
ployed all over the country in the Twelfth
Census.
''The time for closing the consideration
of applications is January rs. Those re-
ceived after that date will have to be
ignored. Applications should be ad
dressed in writing to me at this office and
not to the Census Director. | will send
inquirers the necessary form and instruc-
tons concerning it. Afterward will send
those on the list, prior to the test, set
of directions for filling out the test papers.
This will enable everyone to come we'll
prepared. Nothing could be fairer or
better calculated to insure satisfactory
applicant passing the test.
The test itself need not deter anyone.
Any person with common sense and a
common-school education can pass it.
All it consists of is giving the candidates
sample population and agricultural sched-
ules, upon which are to be written in the
proper columns the required details,
which are found in printed descriptions,
in narrative form, of typical families and
farms supposed to be in a district There
will be some instances requiring the ex-
ercise of judgment to decide whether
given entry should be made under one
column heading or another. You can see
how simple and elementary it is.
THE test will be held all over the
country and in every supervisors district
February 5. There will be several places
in each district for taking it. One place
would be insufficient. 1t would not hold
all the candidates. AS supervisor, shall
have the direction of all, and the total
examination at each, no matter under
what official agency it is held. will be that
sole and simple one prescribed by the
Census Director.
81 am given until February ~ to rate
the papers in very simple way, and to
gain an idea Of the qualifications of those
rated as having passed. Next will for
ward the papers of the successful candi-
dates, with my recommendations or
designations, to the Census Director.
He will, if satisfied that suitable persons
have been selected, give his consent TO
their appointment, and they will be COM
missioned. The middle or latter part Of
March should see everything settled, and
the selected and commissioned enumera-
tors will be sent more circulars and books
of Instructions relative to the interpreta-
tion or meaning of the questions on the
two schedules.
April Is, the Census Army will move
forward in the enumeration.
Certainly the Federal Census taking
is as, necessary and as honorable as jury
duty, and, as all good and useful citizens
do not hesitate to respond to the call for
such duty, | therefore ask the same high
grade citizenship to come forward and
help me have the census taken accurately
and expeditiously
"As President Taft has said, the pay is
not large but the work is worth doing
we'll, and some day we shall all feel proud
in the consciousness that we had part,
however humble, in taking this census. "