Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1920-01-15
is THE CENSUS ENUMERATION
POLITICAL?

gun in the city of Belington and any
man with as many brains as an oyster
can see that the appointments have
been made purely from political
stand. The fact that word comes
from all sections of competent Repub-
licans being turned down for Demo-
Gratis is sufficient proof--as well ms
cases where Republicans made APP
phcation within the specified time.
The time was extended more than
Thirty days while local politician
combed the hills to find Democrat
to do the work. In Barker District
the word comes of the turning down
of competent REPUBLICAN, applicant for
an imported Democrat from Glade.
Of course the Denies" cannot be
blamed. "A drowning man will grasp
at a straw" and they are grabbing
frantically and it is policy for plum
picking in Democratic orchard viii
be scarce for the next half century
Of course one error the Census direc-
tors made in issuing call for enum-
orators was instead of COUGHING the
call under cloak of Political Hypoc-
risy. They should have said, only
Democrats need apply except in To-
calities where no Democrats live and
none could be imported. The follow
| ing official call of VIM G. Redfield
will explain how Wishy Washy Wood
row and Mr. Redfield has made mat
tiers appear and the letter from Mr..
Knott, the supervisor for this district
will show how it has been made polit-
zeal in Barbour County by the key Of
political destinies of good old Bar
bour.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Office Of the Secretary
Washington
July IL, 1919
Director Of the Census:
The taking of the Fourteenth Gem
sus involves the appointment of some
four hundred supervisors, upon whom
in turn will rest the serious duty of
selecting and appointing many times
that number Of enumerators. The
success Of the census will depend upon
the efficiency, impartiality, and the
strict attention 3 duty of the supervi-
sors and upon he intelligence of the
enumerators and their faithful de-
votion to the important public BUSH
ness which is to be placed in their
hands.
4 The vast countrywide system can
Z, be perverted to political uses if both
supervisors and enumerators are not
forbidden to use it as an instrument
for influencing either local or general
elections, or primaries, in the interest
of particular candidates or parties.
The work Of the census is a suffi-
cient task to tax the powers of those
concerned in it, and it is reasonable
requirement that whoever accepts an
appointment as supervisor or enum-
orator shall during the term Of his
employment as such strictly avoid any
Nactive part in politics.
Attention is therefore directed to
the following order of the President
of the United States, dated August
IA, 1909:
II therefore order that, in the prep
aration Of regulations for the taking
of the census, you and the Director
!. Eof the Census embody therein a pro-
vision, that any supervisor or enuni.
orator who uses his influence with his
lsubordinates or colleagues. to assist
any party or any candidate in a pri-
mary or general election, or who takes
ANY part, other than merely casting
his vote, in politics, national, State, OF
local either by service upon polit-
ical committee, by public addresses
by the solicitation of votes, or other
wise, shall be at once dismissed from
. the service.
81 wish to make this regulation as
broad as possible, and wish it enforced
without exception. 1t is of the, high.
est Importance that the census should
be taken by men having only the
single purpose Of reaching just and
right result, and that the large
t amount of money to be expended in
: the employment of SO vast machine
as the census, shall not be made to
serve the political purposes of any
r one"
The above order applicable to the
i census of 1910, is now confirmed anc
made applicable to the work Of the
/ census of 1920. 1t is an essentia
!, factor in the appointment of every
supervisor and enumeration and is to
be obeyed by those officers in letter