Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-02-12
CENSUS STARTED
OF MANUFACTURES
Eighteen Hundred Spec al Agents
Have Started Collecting the
Statistics for 1909.

lures, Mines, Quarries, Petroleum. and
Natural Gas for the year 1909. which
comprises two OF the principal inqui-
ries embraced in the Thirteenth De-
cennial Census. the others being Pop
ulation and Agriculture.
The canvass Is being made under
the supervision OF Mr.. wsn. M. Steuart
Chief Statistician for Manufactures.
and about 1900 special agents viii be
employed eventually in the work, and
they are from day to day being APP
pointed by Director Durand from the
eligible registers established as re-
suit of the November examination
OF candidates for these positions.
Director Durand has taken extraor-
binary precautions to assure the man
ufacturers that all answers viii be
held absolutely confidential This
statement is conspicuously displayed
= the front pages OF the various sche
dulles, and it Is also emphatically de-
clared that no publication will he
made in the census reports disclosing
the name or operations Of individual
establishments in any particular. The
act OF Congress provides that the Blu
reau of the Census shall not permit
any other than its sworn employees to
examine the Individual reports. IT pro-
vides also that any employee who
shall. without the authority OF the
Director OF the Census, publish or com
municate any information coming in
to his possession shall be guilty of a
misdemeanor, and upon conviction
shall be fined not to exceed $1,000 or
be imprisoned not to exceed two years
or both, in the discretion of the court.
There is but limited time In
which to complete this work." said
Director Durand today. ut is essen
tial thatlall the field employees exert
themselves to the utmost. Those who
do good work will be ass 'gned to other
districts and retained in the service
until the work Is finished.
IF manufacturers or others furnish
ing data object to supposed disclos-
ure OF the secrets of their business,the
special agents will assure them that
the results of their individual busi-
ness will not be made public. They
are required also to explain that the
information will not be used for the
purpose OF taxation, nor in any man.
ner to identify the operations Of the
individual establishments, and VIII
not be disclosed to any other bureau
OF the Federal Government. The in
tent OF the law, which will be strictly
carried out, Is to prevent the disclos-
ure OF information which might ope-
rate to the detriment in any way Of
the person or estabf shnent supplying
IT,.
The period covered will be, wher-
ever possible, that of the year ending
December 81, 1909. In the majority
Of cases the data can be secured for
It.. as the business year OF most es-
Establishments will correspond to the
calendar year 1909. For establish
ments beginning operations for the
first time during the year 1t will not
be possible to make the report cover
more than the period actually en-
braced.
"A manufacturing establishment,
which is the unit OF enumeration for
the census. Is deemed TO be one or
more factories. mills, or plants owned
or controlled by one individual, part
nership, corporation. or other owner,
located In the same town or city, and
for which one set Of books OF accounts
are kept. AS the statistics will be
presented by kinds and classes Of in
dnstries. 1t is essential that the pre-
else character of the work performed
by each establishment shall be clearly
determined. A general schedule must
be prepared for each establishment re-
ported and. In addition, such special
supplemental schedule or schedules
as may apply TO the industry, IL any.
"The method of the canvass re-
quires that few days prior to the
day when given firm Is to be can
yassed the special agent shall mail
to the manufacturer a copy OF the gen.
eral schedule, with the proper sup
elemental schedules, together with the
request that they be fielIed out in read
mess for the special agent on his arri-
val. In the event that this has not
been done at the time the agent calls,
he will proceed to get the facts Inn
mediately.
"The Information secured must be
accurate. In drafting the schedule
every effort was made TO frame the in
auiries in such form that the an
swers to them can generally be taken
from the books OF accounts and the
records OF the establishment canvass
ed. In no case are general state
ments or estimates to be accepted
where 1t is poss BILE to secure answers
directly from the books Of accounts
and records.
Gas there is a general interest In
the subject OF the comparative import
ance OF the cities, states and territof-
les with reference to the larger select
ed industries, 1t Is exceedingly desira-
x, n. .t &C., H. 4xxk - f.fx To