Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1910-01-08
FIRST INTERvInw TO BE

Il
GIVEN OUT By SUPERVISOR
"The simple test which candidates for
enumerators' places will undergo Feb.
ruary 9th does not take away the super.
visors' right under the census law to
designate suitable persons for such posi-
tions" said Supervisor of Census George
B. Mansfield.
"It is designed to aid the supervisors
in the exercise of that discretion and to
enable the Census Director intelligently
to use the power of approval of the sup
ervisors' designations conferred upon
him by law.
"It is very well understood that Presi-
dent Taft, Secretary Nagel, and Census
Director Durand all hold the supervis-
ors responsible for the enumeration.
There is no doubt, therefore, that our
fret and most important duty is the Sc
lection of honest, capable and active per-
sons to make the count.
'The Census will be taken, not by the
Census Bureau officers or the supervis.
ors, 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 a correct
census. There can not be anything of
greater scientific value to this country
than accurate statistics as the basis of
a study of the existing conditions re-
garding our population, agriculture,
manufactures, and the mines and quar-
ries.
"All persons, unless specifically dis
qualified, are. entitled to apply to take
the test. Only those under Is years of
age and over 20, and those who have
not become citizens ofthe United States,
are barred. Otherwise, all persons, re-
gardless of sex and political affiliations,
are eligible. 1t is left to my judgment
whether it is wise to appoint women in
my district. They can do the work, l
have no doubt, especially in certain parts
of the district. There were good many
employed all over the country in the
Twelfth Census.
"The time for closing the considera-
tion of applications is January 25th
| Those received after that date will have
to be ignored. Applications should be
addressed in writing to me at this Of
flee and not to the Census Director. l
will send inquirers the necessary form
and instructions concerning it. After
ward will send those on the list, prior
to the test, a set of directions for filling
out the test papers. This will enable
everyone to come we'll prepared. Moth
ing could be fairer or better calculated
to insure satisfactory applicant passing
the test.
"The test itself need not deter any
one. Any person with common sense
and q common-school education can
pass it. All it consists of is giving the
candidates sample population and agri-
cultural schedules, 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 district. There will be some
instances requiring the exercise OF
judgment to decide whether a given
entry should be made under one col
umn heading or another. You can see
how sim pie and elementary it is.
"The test will be held all over the
country and in every supervisors dis
trict on February 5th. 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 test examination at each,
no matter under what official agency il
is held, will be that sole and simple
one prescribed by the Census Director.
| 81 am given until February 22nd tc
rate the papers in. very simple way,
and to gain an idea of the qualifications
of those rated as having passed. Mex
l will forward the papers of the success
ful candidates, with my recommends
tions or designations, to the Census Dir
ector. He will, if satisfied that suitable
persons have been selected, give biz
consent to their appointment, and they
will be commissioned. The middle OF
latter part of March should see every
thing settled, and the selected and com
missioned enumerators will be SEN
more circulars and books of instructions
relative to the Interpretation or mean
ing of the questions on the two sched
lules.
april 18th the Census Army will
move forward in the enumeration.
Certainly the Federal Census-takin:
is as necessary and as honorable as Jury
duty, and as oil good and useful citi
zens do not hesitate to respond to thu
call for such duty, / therefore ask thu
same high grade citizenship to com,
forward and help me have the census
taken accurately and expeditiously.
"As President Taft has said, the paw i
not large, but the work is worth doins
we'll, and some day we shall all fee
proud in the consciousness that We haC
part however humble, in taking thi
IGpnsuaO -