National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-02-19
HousE or REPRE rs ENTITIES.

previous order Of the House.
Mr.. Cox IN. " raised the point of order that the
special order was the consideration of the census
bill
The Speaker overruled the point of order and
after some discussion Mr.. Cox raised the question
of consideration.
The House, BY Il vote Of yeas o., nays 1885, refused
to consider reports from the Committee on Ways
Mr.. HALBthen anagonizcd the census bin with
motion to 20 into Committee OF the Whole on the
legislative appropriation bill.
This motion was deeated-yeas III, nays 123--
mud Mr. Cox IN. Y.)-repored back the Senate bill
for taking the census, with the House amendments.
Mr.. HALE made point of order on the bill, and
II was sent to the Committee of the Whole
The House then, at 1910 went into Committee Of
the Whole (Air. Goode in the chair ON the census
Mr.. Cox (of n. W explained the provisions Of
Che bill. Its object was to construct machine to
work on with dispatch and precision-to secure the
maximum of statistical results with minimum Of
annoyance, delay, and expense. The snperintend-
ent of the census had stated that under the provs-
Ions of this bill the census could be taken with
much less expense and much more nccurateness
than under the old law of 1850 Under that law the
United States marshals were the supervisors of the
census This had been changed by the present. bill,
which provided that the supervisors should be
nomnatedby the Governors Of the respective states
by tile Secretary of the Interior.
There was no reason why marshals. appointed to
execute processes and arrest persons, should be
made census takers. There would be, he feared,
bitter political contest In 1880 and the curse Of such
contests was the influence exercised by Federal
Office holders It would be a happy day for the
President to appoint such officers as postmasters
and census takers was modified or abolished.
Mr.. GARFIELD thought that the bill was a vast
Improvement upon the present law. II would be
impossible to take respectable census under the
old law. and new lawwas imperatively necessary.
While he favored the general features of the bill,
there were some that he objected to- Much as he
desired to see the bill pass, ne would vote against 1t
u the amendment were adopted which transferred
n n hn
of the Interior to the Governors of the States.
He argued that such bill would be in direct
violation Of the Constitution. He hoped that the
gentleman from New York (dr. CoXl who had
done so good n work, and who deserved so well of
the country, would abandon that section of the
bill. There had been such n thing MS ballot-box
stufing, and there might be such thing as census
stutiing, and Congress should leave the appointing
power in man over whom i had some control,
and whom 1t could punish If frauds were com
mitted.
Mr.. MILLS argued that the section alluded to by
Mr.. Garfield was not unconstitutional Not only
was II constitutional, but 1t was essential TO fair
and perfect census.
Mr.. BUTLER thought that the section was unoon.
sttutiona and argued in that direction. He WAS
opposed to the section also on the merits of the
case because the enlnnerators would be appointed
on political grounds Give him the appointment
of the census takers in Massachusetts,, and let him
use them as colporteurs of campaign literature and
there would he liyelier campaign in Massacliu-
sets than there had been last year. Laughter
Mr. RYAN, member of tho Census Committee,
spoke in favor Of the general features Of the bill,
but opposed the section giving the power OF APP
pointing supervisors to the Governors of the sew
eral states
Mr. MANNING, a member of the committee, spoke
In favor of the bill aud at the close of his speech
the bill was read By sections for amendment.
The first amendment was TINT reported by the
Committee OH Census, transferring the power of
lapponting supervisors from the Secretary of the
Interior to the Governors of the several States
| Mr.. CARLISLE moved to amend the amendment
so as to provide that II any Governor shall fail TO
make the nominations OF supervisors before the lst
of April 1880, the Secretary of the Interior shall
| make such appointments. Agreedto to.
Mr.. CoSGER said that the amendment Ofthc com.
mittee was to take away from the national control
and give to state control the appointments of emu
| merators merely. for political purposes, and he
moved to amend II to strike out the clause for
the appointment Of supervisors by the Governors
| Rejected-yeas, l0i nays, III.
| Mr.. BUTLER offered, n substitute for the amend
| ment an amendment providing that the appoint
men of supervisors shall remain with the Secretary
| of the Interior, each alternate supervisor APP
pointed TO be OF different political party be cerli
fed by the Secretary of the Interior. The substitute
| also provides that each alternate enumerator shall
be Of different political party, and mal'es 1t a
political questions or distribute any printed matter
other than what pertains TO their Office.
| There" said Butler " Is non-partisan PROPOSE
ton now let us see both sides vote against it,
| [Laughter.l
Mr.. RANboLPH asked Mr. Butler II he wanted tc
make it Il fineable ofense for man to discuss pol
Mr.. BUTLER No; but when a man takes an office
| which should be non-poIitical, he takes 1t under
|
| political purposes Both parties are committed &c
| that principle. When the Republican party made
the supervisors of election they made them of each
| political party When the Democratic party made
| the Electoral Commission they made 1t of equa
| numbers from each party In the House and Senate
balance, and the Democrats think the wrong party
got II. II your judges cannot carry on their bust
ness without being governed By politics Is 1t moi
best 10 have the supervisors OF the delivered
! from temptation.
The amendment was rejcc,ed--9G to o.
! Mr.. BUTLER then moved TO amend the amend
| ment so MS to vest the nominating power in The
| Vice.PreSdent and Speaker of the House.
Mr.. Cox (ofN ~ said that the amendment wa,
made In order TO defeat the bill II the House did
not desire to adopt the amendment of the commit
tee but passed the Senate bill with minor amend
ments he pledged himself that his side Of the Hous'
would vindicate the Senate bill because there wert
in II features of such value that they should not b'
| masSacred by such amendments as that OF the gen
| teman from Massachusetts,.
| Without further action the committee rose.
Mr. WILSON, from the Committee on Forcigl
| Affairs, asked 70 report resolutions looking TO-
was objected TO- as was also proposition to Sc
aside Friday night for the consideration OF the res
olutons
The House then, at ayo o'clock, TOOK a recess un
I'll 1880.
EVENING SESSION.
The House met ut I30 aud Immediately wen
into Committee Of the Whole mir. Blackburn II
the chair on the legislative judicial, and execu
tive appropriation bill.
The pending amendment was the one offered b,
NV'''N''NHNhb
surveys.
Mr. PAGE offered an amendment. providing thai
the system Of public land surveys be continued
under the present management, and striking GU
the clause which aboshes the Offices OF surveyors
general.
After prolonged debate Mr. Pages amendmen
was adopted--yeas, 0Si nays, TO-
II provides that the public land surveys shall b
continued under the present system, and strike
out the clauses UbOlishing the encouragement
prohibiting contract surveys, and providing tha
The public land surveys shall, at the discretion o
the Secretary Of tho Interior, be made under tn
deposit system.
Mr. Atkins then modified his amendment so a
10 consolidate the sections in regard to the surveys
exclusive of the clauses stricken out by Mr.. Page
amendment.
With some slight notifications Mr.. Atkins
| proposition was adopted, 81 10 A.
| Mr. TowNsHEND tIll) offered an amendment re
I curing the Secretary OF the Treasury, IN paymen
OF appropriations for current expenditures 10 pa
out, in equal proportions, gold ana silver coin AN
| Treasury notes. Ruled OUT on point OF order.
The last section In the bill having been dis
posed of,
Mr. ArKlNs asked leave to go back IN the bill
and offer an amendment providing Tor the salarc
OF suyeyer'general and the expenses OF thci