The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1915-09-16

a plan for carrying on the work. IL
had become apparent that millions OF
dollars worth of material could never
be made ready for the public. Either
the census bureau had overreached, or
congress had failed in it's duty. Ac.
cordingly, the Hon. S. N. B. North and
Hon. w. r. Merriam, former directors
of the census; Prof. Walter F. VIII.
cox of Cornell University, who had
been a chief statistician in the bureau
during the census of 1900; Mr.. w. S.
Rossiter, who had been chief of a di-
vision and later chief clerk of the
bureau; and Hon. Daniel c. Roper first
assistant and postmaster-general, who
had been a special agent and chief OF
a division in the census bureau, were
called into counsel. In their report to
the secretary of they found
that while the larger portion OF the
work of the thirteenth census has been
finished, nevertheless a considerable
quantity of statistical information col
lected at that census still remained to
be tabulated and published" That Is
to say, while the information was un-
der the roof of the census building, a
considerable quantity was not read for
publication at that late date. AS the
director was cautious to fortify him
self with the approval Of these illustri-
Gus and experienced gentlemen, critic
results of this investigation of the
bureau consisted of abandoning many
important features of the work. The
report upon native tongues was cut
down to a chapter to appear in the
final volume of population the totals re-
lating to mines and quarries were pub
lished in a greatly abbreviated form;
the totals for the benevolent institu-
tons and for the institutional popula-
~tion-namely, prisoners. insane and
predetermined, and paupers-were ar
ranged without the analytical text that
had been originally intended. Besides
this the annual compilation of the sta
! tistics Of forest products was abandon
ed. The annual report on financial
statistics of cities for 1912 was cut
down, so as to curtail the amount Of
detail to be included. Mortality Stats
tirs, including the records Of births
49, -. T. r. .Ol,AaDI 20
minimum or to be omitted; while the
work upon Standardization of death
rates, life tables, and occupational
mortality was suspended.
This was part of the method adopted
to meet the emergency presented by
the delays in completing the thirteenth
census.
In the report of Director William J.
Harris in December, 1914, he evidences
considerable satisfaction in announc-
ing that he had conducted a canvass
covering wealth, debt and taxation,
and that in a year and a half from the
beginning of the first work he had
been able to issue his final bulletin. He
comments: "The office work in con
nection with the last preceding inquiry
on this subject was commenced in
1902, but the complete report was not
ready for distribution until May, 1907,
or nearly five years from the beginning
NJ thn u~nrH IN nAIftfan 10 tbtz 49,
great saving in time, there has been a
considerable reduction in expense"
Mr.. Harris further states in his report
that he has brought many of the
branches in his bureau up to date that
formerly were two or three years in
arrears. Among these is the general
statistics of cities and reports on NOR
tality statistics.
Rather strangely. 1t may seem, there
has been very little comment in con-
gress or in the public press concerning
the methods of the census bureau. AS
an illustration of what can be accom-
plished by inefficient management,
with congress and a bureau at logger
heads, the untold story of the bungling
work Of the census bureau, which is
only briefly outlined here, serves as an
illustration. If such a thing should
occur in any business enterprise, it
would result in a complete reorganiza-
ton. but this sad tale was not even
fraught with scandal nor a suspicion
of dishonesty.
Visitors at Washington at all times
of the year, and especially in a few
weeks prior to the adjournment of con-
gress or before a congressional cleo
ton, are struck by the immense guam
titles Of mail bags which they behold
in the Offices of the representatives
and senators and outside their doors
awaiting collection. These articles Of
franked mail and merchandise are pub
lie documents and speeches. Many
congressman have multigraph or writ
ing machines, and the majority and