The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-05-03

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'''.-25S5ISSSSME
Robert Z, Porter, Superintendent of the
Census.
WASHINGTON, D, G., May 1.-The 1900
clerks, more or less, OF various degrees
OF skill and emolument will find them.
selves, when they assemble for the com
pllation OF the eleventh census, under
the direction OF q medium.sized, dark
man who has been engaged for good
part OF his life in America in statistical
work. He is Robert 2, Porter, nomina-
ted by the President to be superinten'
dent Of the Census. He has smooth,
rosy face, black flowing hair and dark
eyes that flash but not too sharply; he
is perhaps forty.fve years old; he has
been a newspaper man q much note,
the Secretary Of the Tariff Commission
In 1882, and until Just now editor OF the
New York Press. President Harrison
understands that he is to give up his
latest position. He has been In Wash.
ington and began tho tremendous task
Of collecting the figures for the next
census. The 1000 clerks, more or less,
will be able to meet him and know
him. The $4,000 enumerators, more
or less, who will visit all the houses in
this great country and collect the facts,
will not SEQ him at all.
Sunset Cox's bill to provide for taking
the eleventh and subsequent Censuses
enacts that there shall be established In
the Department OF the Interior an office
to be denominated the census office, the
chief officer OF which shall DO called the
superintendent OF census, at I'm annual
salary OF $4,000. Tho Secretary Of the
Interior may appoint chief clerk and n
disbursing clerk each at $500 year,
two stenographers aud ten chiefs OF
division each ut $1,000 year, ten clerks
OF class four, twenty OF class three, thirty
OF class two, with such number OF clerks
OF class one, and OF clerks, Copyists and
computers at from $40 to 81 900 a year,
as may be found necessary. The seCre-
tary may also appoint captain Of the
watch ut $40, two messengers and such
number OF watChmen and assistant mes.
sengers and laborers at $500 each per
year, and messenger boys at $500 each
per year, and charwomen at $240 each
per year, as may be found necessary.
An important point is that upon the
compilation OF the census, or earlier, II
the secretary desires, the period OF SER
vice OF all these people shall end The
census bureau Is not permanent thing.
There are many interesting provisions
in the bill. Clerks transferred or detail.
ed for service under this act from exist
ing branches otthe civil service shall not
lose their rights under the civil service
law though for that matter II may safe.
ly be said that not many will be trans
iCrred. The Disturbing clerk must give
a bend Of $4,000. Examinations for APP
pointment and promotion are under the
direction OF the Secretary OF the Interior.
Secretary Noble will be obliged, on or
before the first day Of March, 1890. on
the recommendation OF Superintendent
Porter, to designate number OF super
visions OF census TO be appointed In the
States and Territories and District OF
Columbia, who shall be appointed by the
President and confirmed by the Senate.
The number OF supervisors can not ex-
coed l76. There will be 175 OF them.
The superintendent and supervisors all
have to take oath to support the Consti.
tuition and to discharge the duties Of
their offices according to law, honestly
and correctly, TO the best OF their ability.
Then the supervisors OF census have
particular duties OF their own. They
propose to the superintendent the di.
vision OF their districts into subdivisions
most convenient for enumeration. They
designate suitable persons, and with the
consent o: the superintendent employ
these persons, each within his district
and each for q particular subdivision
and these are all to be selected Solely
with reference to fitness and without
reference TO their political party atlilia.
tions." II is not improbable that the
whole number may be Republicans, for
there are plenty OF Republicans who are
at once fit, and honest and correct. There
Is this thing about 1t, though, prefer.
ence must DO given to properly qualified
persons honorably discharged from q
military or naval service.
Generally enumerators must be select.
ed from their own districts, but II no.
body In the district appearsto desire the
work and nobody seems III for II, the
supervisor may 20 outside OF the district
but not outside OF the county. Printed
forms aud schedules are Issued from the
census office to all tho enumerators.
These have 10 be sCrutlnised very care.
fully OF course when they come In 10
the supervisor. II there are mistakes OF
omissions hc must correct them or sup.
ply them. Then each schedule Is for.
wRrlVd to Washington 10 the superin,
tendent with the bill OF the enumeratol
who has filled IL out
A supervisor OF census receives 81 q
for his services, and in addition to TINT
IN thickly settled districts 81 for each
thousand or q majority fraction OF q
thousand Of tho population enumerated
In his district, or In sparsely settled dis
triCts 81 10 for each thousand or majority
fraction OF thousand OF the population
enumerated. This slim Ia compensation
In full for all bis trouble and expense
except that an allowance for clerk hire
may DO made II tho superintendent
chooses, II Is provided that no super
visor shall be paid less than $500. Al
the correspondence OF the bureau passcl
under the frank "0lllCial business, De
partmpnt Of the Interior, Census Office, ;
II anybody 10 caught using theB OillCia