Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 15.djvu/636

 622 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

subjects which were not called for in 1900; and it follows that the work of the enumerator will be far narrower in its scope in 19 10 than it was in 1890.

The work of the enumerators at the present census is, in fact, in most cases confined to the use of three schedules — ^the general population schedule, the general farm schedule, and the schedule of live stock not on farms and ranges, the last named being very simple and of minor importance. In some districts where the number of manufacturing and mining establishments is too small to justify the employment of special agents, the enumerators will also collect statistics for such establishments; and in the southern states, as more fully set forth later, they will prob- ably use the plantation schedule in addition to the general farm schedule.

CHANGES IN POPULATION SCHEDULE

Some important changes have been made, in the instructions for filling the population schedule, with regard to the question who should and who should not be enumerated in a given locality. The most serious difficulty confronting enumerators is that of determining the "usual place of abode," which is, by law, the basis of the enumeration. Much confusion could be avoided by adopting the usual European custom of enumerating every per- son where he is actually present on the census day, instead of where he "belongs" or has his usual home. It would not be feasible to describe, even in brief terms, the changes in the in- structions on this point ; but suffice it to say that, without in any way lengthening them, they have been, I am convinced, made much clearer, and conform more closely to the proper principles.

Another change regarding the population schedule, while in a way apparently slight, will, it is hoped, be of much value in improving our statistics as to families and the fecundity of marriages. The schedule of 1900 asked, as to each woman, how many children she had borne during her lifetime and how many were now living, but there was no way of telling how many of these children were the fruit of a single marriage. The diffi- culty arose from the fact that the only information regarding a