The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-01-06
Census Supervisor Gives In
tervieW In Regard to Selec-
tion of Enumerators
MAY SELECT HIS ASSISTANTS
Examinations Will be Held but These
Simple Tests Will Only be Used
in Determining the Fitness of the
Candidates.

"The simple test which candidates
for enumerators places will undergo
February does not take away the
supervisors right under the census
to designate suitable persons for such
1 positions" said Supervisor of Census
D. Elmer Roberts, Racine, Wis, at his
Office today.
sit is designed to aid the supervi-
sors in the exercise of that discretion
and to enable the census director in
telligently to use the power of approx
al of the supervisors designations
conferred upon him by law.
cit is very well understood that
President Taft, Secretary lNagel and
4 Census Director Durand all hold the
supervisors responsible for the enumer-
alton. 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.
tThe census will be taken, not by
the census bureau officers or the super
visors, but oy the enumerators. They
are the ones who come in contact with
the people and get the facts. Unless
every single enumeration does his whole
and proper duty there can not be a
correct census. There can not be any
thing Of greater semitic value to this
country than accurate statistics as the
basis of study Of the existing condi-
tions regarding our population, agricul-
ture, manufactures, and mines and
quarries.
"All 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 become citnzens of the United
States, are barred. Otherwise, all
persons, regardless of sex and political
affiliations, are eligible. 1t is left to
lmy Judgment whether it is wise to ap-
point women in my district. They
can do the work, I have no doubt, es-
ipecially in certain parts OF the district.
There were a good many employed all
over the country in the twelfth census.
"The time for closing the considera-
ton of applications is January %.
Those received after that date will
have to be ignored. Applications
should be addressed in writing to me
at this office and not to, the census di-
rector. I will send inquirers the nee
essary form and instructions concern
ing it, Afterward [ will send those
on the list, prior to the test, set Of
directions for filing out the test
papers. This will enable everyone to
come well prepared. Nothing could
be fairer or better calculated to insure
a satisfactory applicant passing the
test.
"The test itself need not deter any
one. 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 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
given entry should be made under
one column heading or another. You
can see how simple and elementary it
| it.
s'The test will be held all over the
country and in every supervisor dis
trict February 5. There will be sew
eral places in each district for taking
it. One place would be insufficient.
1t would not hold all the candidates.
| AS supervisor, [ shall have the direc-
ton of all, and the test examination
at each, no matter under what official
agency it is held, will be that sole and
simple one prescribed by the census
director
II am given until February % to
rate the papers in very simple way,
and to gain an idea by them of the
qualifications of those rated as having
passed Next I will forward the pap
ers of the successful candidates, with
my recommendations or designations, to
the census director. He will. if salts
fed that suitable persons have been
selected, give his consent to their APP
pointment, and they will be commits
stoned. The middle or latter part of
March should see everything settled,
and the selected and commissioned
enumerators viii be sent more circulars
and books of instructions relative to
the Interpretation or meaning of the
questions on the two schedules.
April Is the census army win
move forward in the enumeration.
Certainly the federal census tax
ing is as necessary a5d as honorable