BAD STRAW---BAD BRICKS
Bad Straw --- Bad Bricks WE ARE in the midst of a great struggle to reform abuses in our political, industrial, and social system. We are passing through a remarkable era. Our problems are complex...
...Few men in the country have had better preparation and training combined with practical experience in these fields...
...It would probably be difficult for him to give his own political status...
...was afterwards a lecturer on corporations and labor problems at Harvard University...
...But there must be combined with these qualities a mastery of the relative importance of all the subordinate elements of scientific investigation to the end that they may be co-ordinated with regard to their industrial, and sociological relation to government...
...With this supremely important work unfinished, it is a great disappointment to the friends of progressive government that President Wilson, through his Secretary of Commerce, has in effect demanded the resignation of Dr...
...that a good organizer with administrative ability can perform the duties of this office...
...Durand has selected with excellent judgment his staff of expert statisticians and examiners, and has given personal supervision to the scientific work of the Bureau...
...Neither of these committees ever had a meeting for the consideration of any matter during his service...
...He has beyond question made the census statistics more accurate, has presented a more scientific interpretation of them, and at the same time, has made them more popular and useful to the general public than ever before in the history of the government...
...E. Dana Durand, Director of the Census, was recognized as eminently qualified for this important service, when appointed by President Taft in 1909...
...The selection of a man to be Director of the Census, who has no scientific or economic training, is a distinct shock not only to the scientists of the country, but to business interests generally, which are deeply concerned in everything that pertains to the reliability and character of the work performed by the Census Bureau...
...It is provided with a carefully prepared text, with a view of preventing misinterpretation of the statistics, and bringing out clearly the more prominent features...
...But he is one of the most advanced and progressive of the scientific men of the country, and for ten or fifteen years has been engaged in economic work as applied to government...
...The fundamental element essential for the best results in directing a scientific staff is that the Director shall command the respect of the staff as a scientific man...
...As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Census, I personally know from my official relations with him, that he resisted to the limit of his power every effort to introduce politics into the administration of the Census Bureau...
...He conducted the investigation of the Standard Oil Company, and assisted the government counsel in the prosecution of the case brought for its dissolution...
...He should not only be their equal in expert knowledge, but their superior in grasp and power...
...The results of such investigation will be expressed in figures and must then be translated into general conclusions by a thoroughly scientific mind, trained to give due economic weight to all related subjects...
...The evils from which we suffer can only be cured by sound economic treatment...
...The progressive movement has made no rational and substantial gain in either state or nation excepting as based upon an intelligent and scientific investigation of facts...
...Durand...
...This action of President Wilson incurs the danger of casting the shadow of political prejudice across a great statistical work...
...They require profound study, research, and the application of the best expert knowledge available...
...The scientific staff of a bureau can have no confidence in an administration which is conducted merely with a view to business efficiency...
...The gathering of statistical data covering a broad field of investigation, co-ordinating the figures and so interpreting them as to establish truth, demands special training, true insight, sound judgment...
...And, pending the publication of the abstract and its supplement, the more important results of the census have been published in the form of bulletins, which are widely distributed, and thus made accessible to all...
...indeed, a broad scientific comprehension...
...Besides, Congress has again and again increased the difficulties by extending the lines of investigation and imposing additional burdens, the impractical character of which Dr...
...Defective statistics can only produce defective bricks, resulting in a defective economic structure...
...Statistics are the straws with which the economist must build his bricks...
...There is no field in the entire domain of government in winch strict adherence to these principles is so essential as in the administration of the Census Bureau...
...He was for a time Professor of Administration and Finance at Stanford University...
...was made Deputy Commissioner of Corporations, in 1907, which position he held until appointed Director of the Census in 1909...
...Durand as Director of the Census...
...He graduated at Oberlin, and afterwards studied political science, economics, and statistics at Cornell University, which conferred upon him the degree of Doctor cf Philosophy...
...Harris, from all accounts, is a man of excellent character...
...It is understood to be President Wilson's opinion that a trained statistician is not required in this position...
...A census is either an important scientific achievement, reliable as a mathematical demonstration, or it is as deceptive as a juggler's hat...
...He has undertaken to publish an abstract of the census, with a SUPPLEMENT FOR EACH STATE, printed in connection with it...
...It goes back to the rank time of twenty years ago when the census suffered the blighting effect of partisan bias...
...Administrative ability and business efficiency are important to the direction of any organized work...
...became a special examiner in the Bureau of Corporations, when organized in 1903...
...If the Census is to have the largest possible value, an exhaustive inquiry must be made regarding population, agriculture, manufactures, transportation, immigration, public health,—in short, into every subject involved in the economics of government...
...For several years he served as clerk to the Committee on Revolutionary War Claims and afterward as Clerk to the Committee on Woman Suffrage of the Senate...
...Political considerations were wholly disregarded in the appointment of Dr...
...After his return to Georgia three years ago he organized an insurance company, of which he became President...
...This he has accomplished, in spite of enforced delays resulting from the failure of Congress to provide appropriations necessary to employ the clerical assistance which he had informed Congress would be required...
...Upon the administrative side, Dr...
...It is perfectly futile to say that mere business experience can be substituted for scientific training in the administration of this bureau...
...Our problems are complex and intricate in a high degree...
...was for three years with the United States Industrial Commission, investigating trusts, labor, and industrial conditions...
...It is due to this fact,—and this too, in the face of unusual difficulties,—that the work of his bureau is so far advanced and has been conducted in every department with such marked thoroughness...
...This is his record...
...William J. Harris, Chairman of the Democratic State Central Committee of Georgia, has been nominated by the President as his successor...
...The science of statistics has become very complex...
...This is all matter which has heretofore appeared only in the completed census reports, the publication of which is limited, and the printing of which, because of the mass of details, is necessarily delayed...
...This abstract with state supplement is printed in advance of the pu tion of the final general reports of the census, thus reversing the policy pursued at the I2th Census...
...HE that would make real progress in knowl-edge must dedicate his age as well as his youth— the latter growth as well as first fruits—at the altar of truth.—Berkeley...
...Durand's ability and efficiency is to be highly commended...
...As Director of the Census, Dr...
...Durand pointed out to the committees of Congress before the legislation was enacted...
Vol. 5 • May 1913 • No. 18
