78 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



full and complete results without regard to tlie time taken. For 

 the population the English method was used, as already stated. 

 The manufactures and agricultural products were secured on in- 

 dividual schedules, statements being certified to by proprietors. 

 In 1885 the card schedule for population was successfully intro- 

 duced, the other features of the 1875 system and per diem com- 

 pensation being retained. 



Under the Federal system, which I have said is so faulty, all 

 data are collected, so far as population, agriculture, and the gen- 

 eral statistics of manufacture are concerned, by enumerators se- 

 lected by the supervisors and appointed by the Superintendent. 

 The supervisors under the eleventh census are fairly compen- 

 sated ; the enumerators are not. The compensation for enumer- 

 ating the population under the existing law is in most of the 

 country two cents for each living inhabitant, two cents for each 

 death reported, fifteen cents for each farm, twenty cents for each 

 establishment of productive industry enumerated and returned, 

 and five cents for each surviving soldier, sailor, or marine, or 

 each widow of a soldier, sailor, or marine returned. In some 

 subdivisions the allowance for each living inhabitant may be in- 

 creased, but the comi^ensation allowed to any enumerator in any 

 difificult district shall not be less than three dollars nor more than 

 six dollars per day of ten hours' actual field work, when a per diem 

 compensation shall be established by the Secretary of the Interior 

 instead of a per capita ; nor, where the per capita rate is increased, 

 shall it exceed three cents for each living inhabitant, twenty cents 

 for each farm, and thirty cents for each establishment of produc- 

 tive industry ; nor shall claims for mileage or traveling expenses 

 be allowed any enumerator in either class of cases, except where 

 difiiculties are extreme, and then only when authority has been 

 previously granted by the Superintendent of the Census. The 

 allowance relative to inhabitants and deaths is the same as under 

 the tenth census. There is an increase of a few cents in the com- 

 pensation for enumerating farms and establishments or productive 

 industry. It may not be possible nor wise to change this method, 

 but it is possible and wise to make the compensation fair and just. 

 Under these rates it is almost impossible for an enumerator to 

 earn a fair day's wage if he does his duty. In localities where 

 the population is dense, he can earn three or four dollars per 

 day. His ambition is — and human nature prompts it — to se- 

 cure as many names as possible, and in too many instances he 

 will do this at the expense of accuracy ; for accuracy consumes 

 time. Furthermore, he may be inclined, in the very worst locali- 

 ties, in the slums of great cities, to omit, for personal reasons of 

 convenience or otherwise, to enumerate all the peojDle, being con- 

 tented with taking the population in sight ; in other words, two 



