Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-01-03
SEC'Y NAGEL.
TALKS TO The
SUPERVISORS
Urges On Them the Absolute
Necessity of a True
and Correct Census.

Washington, D. c., Jan 3,-Sec-
retary Nagel of the Department of
Commerce and Labor, under whose
supervision is the work Of the Blu
Teauof the Census, at the confer
ence of eastern state supervisors
here, gave a vigorous talk on the
subject of their duty, in which he
emphasized and added to what had
been said by the president to the
Census field chiefs previously at the
White house. The secretary said:
II wanted a chance to meet you
not to speak to you, but to shake
hands and possibly exchange. a word
here and there as occasion might
offer There is a further reason
why it will be difficult for me to
say anything at this time. We
have a rule that after the president
has spoken his secretaries have
nothing to say. (Laughter.) I hap
pened to be in the White house
when you were there, and heard
what the president said. To now
repeat would not give emphasis; to
add is barely pardonable.
"I am very glad that you did
have an opportunity, however, to
meet the president himself and to
hear from him just what the atti-
tude of the executive on this matter
Of the taking of the census is; and
/ am glad that he had an opportun-
ity to say to you how thoroughly he
is in earnest about what he has
heretofore said.
ut is unnecessary for me to
dwell upon the Importance of cor
rect census. OF course, we want to
take better census than has ever
before been taken-and that is no
disparagement of the work of pre-
decessors. We ought to improve.
we ought to improve for reasons
which are selfevident; we ought to
improve because the need for cor
rect and adequate census now Is
greater than it has ever been be-
fore. 1t is so on account of the
growth of our country, and because
we are coming into relations with
other countries, so that a correct re-
port and a reliable statement, to be
used not only at home but for COM
parison with what other countries
are doing, is the one essential foun-
dation of all calculations.
''Now, we have done, as we think,
what we can to accomplish that re-
suit, So far as we could, we have
placed in charge here at the head
men who are experienced, compe
tent, and enthusiastic. OF course,
the office here might be perfect in
its machinery and its administra
tion and yet the entire work would
be failure unless you did what the
president indicated this morning
After all, granting a false premises
anything can be proved. No matter
how fine the superstructure may be,
if the foundation is not right the
building is not worth anything. 1t
is for you to furnish the foundation
for what is going to be done. You
are responsible to the director That
is the Importance of your position.
"Now, there is a lot of human
nature in this thing, as was indicat-
ed to you this morning. You will
have to be judges of a hood many
things, and you will have to show
some discretion. And there is a lot
Of human nature beyond you when
it comes to the activities of the
enumerators themselves. A man
might, for Illustration, be a good |
business man and yet not be a good |
enumerator, because he might not
have the confidence of the people |
with whom he had to deal. 1t is |
Aot always easy to get men of the |
right qualifications. 1t is easy
enough to make examinations, but |
it must be left for you to decide, |
according to such examinations as |