Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-05-08
TAKING THE CENSUS.
A Talk With Superintendent Porter To-
Day.
4 REMINDER TO oFFIcE-sEEKERs THAT THE GEN.
sUs IS NOT TO BE TAKEN UNTIL NEXT YEAR
NO APPOINTMENTS TO BE MADE IN 1SS9-How
THEY WILL BE MADE NEXT YEAR.

Mr.. Robert P. Porter, superintendent of the
eleventh census, has been overwhelmed with ap-
plications for appointment during the past few
days. The recent decision of the law officer OF
the Interior department that the employees
of the census are not subject to the civil
service law has had a good deal to do
with the rush that has been made upon the
superintendent. Mr.. Porter does not enjoy the
situation. In fact he is grieved that the pub
lie, and especially that portion which seems to
desire government Office does not appreciate
two facts: One is that the census is not to be
taken until next year, and the other that the
census Office is
NOT GOING TO BE AN ASYLUM.
1T is mistake to imagine" remarked Mr.
Porter this morning to STAR reporter, 'that
because the civil-service rules do not apply to
the census office that Tn going to make ap-
pointments wholesale and without regard to
qualifications. Just the contrary is going to be
the case. When begin to make appointments.
which will not be until next year. propose to
be governed by the following considerations:
First those who have had experience in the
last census will have the preference, and Sec
ond, those who have passed the civil-service
examination. For others propose to have an
examination and make appointments based
upon the results of such an examination. The
vides for examination. The clause relating to
it is as follows: All examinations for appoint
ment and promotion under this act shall be in
the discretion and under the direction of the
Secretary of the Interor.''
NO MORE APPOINTMENTS UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
''For the present." continued Mr.. Porter, II
have made all the appointments in the clerical
force that consider the service needs until the
next year. L have not organized the Office
fully yet nor appointed all the chiefs of the
division. These appointments can be made
gradually and will be done III time to have
everything in readiness for the taking of the
census which begins on the first Monday of
June, 1890"
HOW SUPERVISORS WILL BE APPOINTED.
The law provides that the supervisors of the
census, to a number not exceeding 175. shall be
appointed by the President by and with the ad-
vice of the Senate on or before March /, 1890
The supervisors are empowered to designate to
the superintendent of the census suitable per-
sons. and. with the consent of the superinten-
dent, to employ such persons as enumerators
i'll the districts.
THE CENSUS YEAR.
The census Office began to-day the work of
sending out notices to the newspapers through
out the country asking that public attention be
called to the fact that the census year begins
June l. 1889, and ends May 81, 1890, and that
the physicians of the country keep record of
all deaths occurring in that period For this
purpose a register will be mailed to every ply
sician outside of cities and states. where COM
plete system of registration of deaths prevail,
in which to keep thorough record of all deaths
occurring in their practice.
A PROBABLE APPEAL TO THE PRESIDENT.
1t is expected that the President will soon be
called upon to decide dispute, the foundation
of which is already laid. between the Interior
department and the civil-service commission.
Assistant Attorney General Shields, of tine In
terror department, has decided that appoint
ments in the census bureau are not under civil
service rules; basing his decision upon the law
reviving the census bureau, which says: .All
examinations for appointment or promotion
under this act shall be under the direction of
the Secretary of the Interior"
The civil-service board, it is said. will appeal
from this decision to the President and make a
strong effort to have the patronage of this i'm
portant bureau placed under its control. The
census bureau will give employment to ] 500
clerks for two years and to many more for
shorter periods, to say nothing of local super
intendents and enumerators.