Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-01-05
.ENUMERATORS
ARE SCARCE
Census Director Durand Call
ing or Public Spirited PeO-
pie to Apply at Once.

( Washington, d. c., Jan Cen
sus Director Duran stated today
that, as a result Of his conferences
with the supervisors OF census
throughout he country he finds that
i'm many sections, especially i'm the
large cities, there have not been as
yet sufficient applications for the
positions of enumerators. 1t looks
he thinks, as if the country is so
prosperous that people are not as
anxious to get these responsible
places as had been expected.
The scarcity is giving the Director
some concern, as only a few weeks
remain before the date for closing
the consideration of applications. It
will be impossible generally to eX-
tend the application time limit, as
to examine the test" papers, with
the necessary care to insure the des-
ignation of quail fed persons, will
consume every moment of the time
allowed for this phase of the work
of selecting the enumerators, leav-
ing nothing for an extension of the
date for shutting down on applica-
tions.
The Director therefore urges all
persons desiring places as enumera-
tors to make application as quickly
as possible, and he hopes that, in
order to help get a perfect census,
philosophical 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 also trusts that en-
ployers will deem it their duty to
give leave of absence to their em-
ployees who may desire to act as
enumerators. Some slight sacrifice
of this sort will be amply repaid by
the improved quality of the census
returns Continuing, the Director
said:
"Although the actual work Of
taking the census will not begin un- /
til April Is, it is essential that those
who wish to act as enumeratOrs /
should apply Immediately. Except |
under unusual circumstances, no !
application received after January
25 will be considered. About 6S,- |
600 enumerators will be required |
Each will work in his own locality !
Any competent person is entitled to |
apply for this position, and will be
fairly considered for appointment.
Political recommendations 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 pur- {
pose of aiding the supervisors in de- |
tefmining the competence of the F.
a written test will be |
prescribed, and any person between /
the ages of s and 20 who is a citi- /
zen of the United States will be per- F,
mitted to take it,
The test will be of strictly /
character, substantially the same as |
was used in 1900. 1t will be of Il |
strictly practical character, substan- !
TALLY the same as was used in 1905. !
1t will consist of filing out a sample /
schedule of population, and, in the /
case of rural districts. filling out al !
so n sample schedule of agriculture,
these schedules being precisely the /
same as will actually be used by the 1
enumeratoTs in their work later on. |
In order to assist candidates in pre- /
pairing for the test, copies of the /
blank schedules and general instruc- !
tions regarding the manner of ttllinE /
them will he furnished to each can I
didate in advance. Any person of /
commOn-SchooI education !
and good Judgment should have no .
in passing.
This test is not civil-service .
examination, II viii be conducted .
under the direction of the superyi- .
SOrs of the census, and the papers .
Will be examined only by the super .
yisors and by the Census Bureau. .
In order that convenient cNamina- f.
tion places may be provided for all I.
candidates, local civil-service eNam- /
iniuE boards and pos,masters viii be 4
called upon TO preside at the actua,
taking of the test in certain cases, (
but in this respect they will act f.
merely rs the representative of the /
supervisors of the census.