New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-04
"PARTISANSHIP md The CENSJS.'
COMMISSIONER poHrER's vINDIcATIoN OF MS
WORK.

COMMISSIONER POBTERs vINDIcATIoN or HIS
WORK.
The Hon. II. 7. Porter in The Nofth American Review
The law under which the KIN Census wa, taken
Is practically the ,tme a. TINT HHucF VIM '''IiI'
Walher took The AtH Ccusu~ \ icw questions autH
81 those relating 70 the veterans ol me wal 20 m"II
gage Indebtedness, and u the separation Il hesr"e,
Into black, mulatio, quadtpOn ana ocl"I0Vh, NcI' r"p
by Congress. As FAT a. possible, the orsAniHdt'h y
or cxperts been selected because Of their p,lltlcol hHth'
hut In every case IN consequence 81 NutllSutM uHHlnF'
special knowledge, or service Ia the Ath census. Inc
Census Office IS divided into twenty I'VE important
divisions. sixteen Of these divisions are IN chart ~
mcn chosen In 1880 for tic same work by my pIcue
cessOr, General Waller. There t%c among licM pc ~
Gratis, Republicans, MugwuInps, Free traders anu rIV-
tectiONists. The population DIVISION II ih ,haihJ "
statlsticlan VINO received his training from Colonel ar
roll ID. Wright, and was icconI'ehdeI U me nS t"",
The country. and the man he would have selected il
superintendent, Of Census, INC rcnlal.ias "tals, ,T
National and state finance farms, homes anu Mo'E
gageo, Agriculture mines ana n,nms s.auaIt ,.r ~
of eminent and capable experts, with National ana
ioreisn populations IN their seyeia! lnes o. stAisiloai
ara from twenty to thirty ~ pert special agents making
special nv.sigations-th iourthS Of whom were en-
ploycd in the Xth Census, aud not Que Oh "1on Ma
appoln'oqt h i%r l R%n"I is ~ "fIack H." in,esri,y d nearly
indgmeut OF the nrst census expert IN the United states
ieriaps In the world, General Walker. for he Has pro
nouncrd them rs a whole almost lri1e,.., uors no
,,irsI crime and vie conspiracy" could sttlh
ruard-d by men whose Character arc uuqueNtonei,
who's. Integrity cahnot be iinpesched, %hosc apiity
| and statistical circles throughout the country no" ," u
possible 10 falsely the census for political purplro,'
vfsors were appointed, on the r"fcihiae' datlch 81 the
Secretary Of the Interior, by. INC President u lo
United states. Their claims ho"tye.. were IN g(erH
case carefully examined by the Department Ihorc
gontlemen were not selected iron, one political party
In many States tcir appointments wtre not REGARDED
by the honorable SecrctaIy s- political, and on the
credentials Of not a few Of thJr IN the Southern STATE,
MAY be found the names o! some o. the most powerful
Of Democratic senators and representatives, ~testlfyine
10 their qualifications. III the selection Of cnpmerstor,
the office had 10 depend largely upon tie judgment OF
the supervisors, though all Applications were exainlneo
ana kepuhIican experts. and IN no Instance was al
appointment refused to d competent man Tor polit"i
Democratic enumeration wer. DcIhE appoinru tlIpuEh
out tho south. The answer ~as, arc thcA Competent
-incompetency alone being cause ior removal
The ONCE force IN Washington has been made up u
precisely the same way. and ability to do The work ha
been he only test. All applicants for minor cleikslip
! Ton than that required for thc same grade b. th
CvilSeryicc Commission. ana wllh0ut such Gamma
ton only thos. who have passed the full clertrhip cX
animation OF the Commission have been accepted by Tn
Census Office. Among those recommending ines
bright and efheie.i young men apa %o ,nS ina msy ~ y
Democrats In the United Siae', most OF them, ~
doubt. glad and proud 10 help worthy and capsbi
applicants from their districts 10 secure employ In"ni
- fra charge that there WIS anF politics IN a niiorti
. the~e appointments deny. aud IN TINS denial ! VII
makes them. and by honest senators and keprscnt'
wee Il .o'h political parties ne c"rsns ,lcrks thu
s~rpaupd and ;rained hy ne fnliy equipped corp. q
Alcs and A>>~taats who di effective service In ia
N,h Cersr, ..ga0t he cXc-.fd by aav similar mum
1cr u CLERKS In an other department OF the Govern
: neEt. How me Democrats would have used m
sest Federal pa'r,nsse. / know not. but d. know
I'd can fssrit.>Ir 10 e, that II l. nv belief that th
reai nsssc. 81 Republican. would never con'ent +
h're. .,r 4,'re - IA belief. IN work In ever
tro.c. is ore. f.. shc closest Inspection.