The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-01-04
ENUMERATORS ARE SCARCE. People to Apply al
 Once.

Washington, Jan. 4.-CensuS Direc- tor Durand stated today that, as result of his conferences with the supervisors of census throughout the country he finds, that in many sec tions especially in the larger cities, there have not been as yet sufficient applications for the positions of emu merators. It looks, he thinks, as if the country is so prosperous that people are not as anxious to get these responsible places as had been ex- pected.
 The scarcity is giving the Director some concern, as only few weeks remain before the date for closing the consideration of applications. It will be impossible generally to extend the application time limit, as to examine the test" papers, with the necessary care to insure the designation of qualified persons, will consume every moment of the time allowed for this phase of the work of selecting the enumerators, leaving nothing for an extension of the date for shutting down on applications.
 The Director therefore urges all persons desiring places as enumera- as possible, and he hopes that, in order to help get Q perfect census, public-spirited and energetic people throughout the country will offer themselves for these positions, even though they may not care for them from the standpoint of the pay in- volved. He alsos trusts that employ CTS will deem it their duty to give leave of absence to their employees who may desire to act as enumera- tors. Some slight sacrifice of this sort will be amply repaid by the inn proved quality of the census returns. Continuing, the Director said:
 A Jcrh hn n Q K- ing the census will not begin until April 15, it is essential that those who wish to act as enumerators should ap- ply immediately. Except under un- usual circumstances, no application received after January 25 will be con sidered. About 6S.000 enumerators will be required. Each will work in his own locality. Any competent per son is entitled to apply for this posi- ton ,and will be fairly considered for appointment
 Political recommendation are not necessary. The supervisors, to whom application must be made, have been instructed to consider all candidates and to select solely on the basis of efficiency. For the purpose of aiding the supervisors in determining the competence of the candidates, writ ten test will be prescribed, and any person between the ages of IS and 70
 
 will be permitted to take it.
 ''The test will be of a strictly prac- tical character, substantially the same as was used in 1900.A It will consist of filling out a sample schedule of population, and, in the case of rural districts, filling out also a sample schedule of agriculture, these sched- ules being precisely the same as will actually be used by the enumerators i'll their work later on. In order to assist candidates in preparing for the test, copies of the blank schedules and general instructions regarding the manner of filling them will be fur nished to each candidate in advance. Any person of ordinary common school education and good judgment should have no difficulty in passing.
 "This test is not a civil-service ex- animation. It will be conducted un- der the direction of the supervisors examined only by the supervisors and by the Census Bureau. In order that convenient examination places may be provided for all candidates, local civil-service examining boards and postmasters will be called upon to preside at the actual taking of the test in certain cases. but in this re- spect will act merely as the repre- sentatives of the supervisors of the census.
 Tt is impossible to exaggerate the importance of obtaining correct census of the population and agricul- lure of the country. The correctness of the returns depends wholly upon the competence of the enumera tors |"
 The enumerators will earn about SG0 each. Those in the rural dis tricts must complete their work with ir thirty days, and those in cities of 5000 and more population at the Ylrn writ from April 15, 1910.
 Providence, Jan. 4.-City govern ments of the five munic' 'palities in the State of Rhode Island were yesterday inauguarted for the year 1910 in the presence of large gatherings of spec tators in the municipal buildings.