The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-11-04
Governor Hill Given a Lesson
in DecenCy.
4 SeathiDs Letter From Secretary Of The
Interior Noble.
His SlanderOuS Communication Regarding
the Census Of New York City
Fittinsly Answered.
Special to THE MORNING CALL

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3.-Secretary Of the
Interior Noble to-day replied to the letter
of Governor Hill of the 31st ultimo, regard
ing the New York City census. Following
are some of the excerpts from the letter:
ut WAS wholly unnecessary for you to re-
mind me of the provisions Of the C0nsttu-
tion of the United States relating 10 the
enumeration and apportionment of repre-
sentatives of the Electoral College, or the
provision of the census law allowing amend
ments and recounts. Neither did need
any exhortation upon the subject of fair
apportionments.
!" 1t is much to be regretted that in letter
to me, when acting upon a purely official
matter, you, as Governor, should speak as
partisan and impute corrupt purpose to
the census enumerators to secure party ad-
vantage by diminishing the count of the
City of New York. Your imputation against
the enumerators and census work is so
entirely gratuitous and unfounded as TO be
slanderous; and you should know that your
abusive course could not tend to promote
that fair and judicial consideration l have
been disposed to give to the application of
the Mayor.
"Your charge imputing fraudulent mo-
tives to others rather suggests that as your
party thinks an increased population would
inure to its advantage. the count of the po-
lice, taken as it has been since the New
York Police Board has been made partisan,
needs the very closest scrutiny and analysis.
Your accusations, heretofore confined to in
reviewers and stump speakers, began even
before the enumeration was announced"
The Secretary refers to the Governors
speech at Inianapolis on the subject last
June, and adds: You did not succeed in
these efforts 10 any considerable degree, but
you are largely responsible for any inaccu-
racies that may exist You set the example
by denouncing the law of Congress, and the
suggestion of its violation by your less acute
political followers; your early and continu-
GUS assaults upon the census have had nee
essarily motive which is easily discovered
" You further asserted, in the speech
mentioned, that the Republican party will
not repudiate its declared policy OF breaking
the power OF the solid South by deliberately
ignoring the vast increase in the population
of that section. The truth is, no complaint
whatever has been received from any
Southern State as State against the census,
and the only serious claim of erroneous EMU
meration of the population and representa-
tion By State came from the Republican
State of Oregon"
In conclusion the Secretary says: ST re-
gret the necessity of addressing the chief
magistrate of the leading State of the Union
in the terms have employed, but find nv
justification in the reckless intemperance of
the language you have seen fit to use-lan-
guage which is lacking as much in truth as
it is the dignity Eeftting your great office,
which In the past has been filled by en-
ipa ty,1a, Of hot oil
themerit of the Mayors application 1 shall
reply to him"