Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-30
THE CENSUS FAULTS
Investigated and Condemned
by the Civil Service
Reform League.
CRITICISM OF HARRISON.
he Refused to Place the Bureau Un-
der the Reform Rules.
CRIMINALS MADE ENUMERAT0RS.
Proof of the Deficiency Of the Count in New
York and Elsewhere.
CRITICISM OF HARRISON.
CRIMINALS MADE ENUMERATORS.
WAYNE MACvEAGH oNEOF THE SIGNERs

BUFFALO, Sept 29-The Civil Servic,
Reform League of the country will meet il
this city tomorrow. A special commute,
has been inquiring into the condition of the
Federal civil service and the question oftht
reform law. Their report, which will be
presented tomorrow, is signed by VIM,
Dudley Foulke, Charles J. Bonaparte,
Richard H. Dana, Wayne MacVeagh and
Sherman S. Rogers. 1t is as follows:
To the Executive Committee of the National Civil
Service Reform League:
In the last Republican platform it was de-
clGred, The reform of the civil service, au-
splciously begun under Republican admin
lstratiOn, should be completed by the fur
cher extension of the reform system, already
established by law, TO all grades of the serv-
&C to which it is applicable" This declara-
1on WAS embodied in the platform as a spe-
.fic pledge, and the construction of this
written agreement, made with the voters of
Gle country, is not difficult. The law pro-
yides tcivil service act sections i and p
hat the President shall appoint three CON-
mlssiOners, whose duty it ehall be to aid
him in preparing suitable rules, providing
for open competitive practical eKamina-
t:ons, all places classified by the rules to be
lIled Dy selections from those graded high
est, with a period of probation before
appointment These rules are entirely
under the control eff the President aud the
commissioners appointed by him, ana it is
within his power under this act to extend
:hem to any grades of the service to which
;hey are applicable. The promise of the
Republican platform, therefore, was not
mat new laws should be enacted, but that
,he system should be extended by the Presi-
1ent. Nor, within certain limits, could
mere be any question as to the offices to
hlch the civil service system was applica-
lie The object of this system was to Ike
iEbordinate administrative places out of
lie neld of political controversy, and to
make appointments to these places depend
ipon the fitness OF the appointee, as proved
y competitive examination and probation,
ttc not upon patronage and political favor.
was applicable, then, to non-political ad-
illustrative offices.
THE CENSUS SHOULD BE STRAIGHT.
If there was any branch of the service
-hlch should have been kept free from party
OnUrOversy, it was the Census Bureau. 1t
'as he plain duty of those in charge of this
ureau to give to the people the exact facts
70 an matters inquired OF, unwarped by
ol'ucal bias
Lt, then, the promise of the Republican
-aJiorm had any significance at all, It meant
lat the President would extend this COM
etlT!Ne system to the clerks of the Census
iureau, when that bureau should be estab-
lShed. Mr.. Harrison, in concurring with
uu adopting the platform, distinctly made
his promise his own, and emphasized it by
ne declaration that, lin appointments to
very grade and department, fitness, and not
Hrty service, should be the essential and
iscrlmlnatlng test" and in the statement
nat further extensions of the classified list
ere necessary and desirable"
Inc act Of March l, 1889, providing for the
isilnE OF the census, gives the Secretary of
le interior the power to appoint the clerks
the Census Bureau, and provides that all
Naminations Tor appointment and promo
.ou shall D1 IN his discretion and under his
irectiOn. The Secretary is himself an APP
.olntee of the President, and subject to his
1urrOl 1t would have been easy for the
resident. II desirOus of extending the re-
irn system, to have had appointments in
alr bureau made without regard to political
1nSlderatiOns. This might have been done
y the appointment OF clerks in the bureau
lrough competitive examinations under
re control of the Civil Service Commission.
lch course would, in the hands of the
resent Commissioners, have given an abso-
re guarantee Of the fairness and non-par-
san character OF the appointments.
THE PRESIDENT REFUSED
ii the President and Secretary were un-
uling to do this, they could have instituted
umpeutlve examinations for this bureau
.une, publicly announcing that the places
ere open to all and that political influence
ould not be regarded in making appoint
ents. The President was indeed solicited
the Civil Service Commissioners to cause
system Of competitive examinations to be
Iopred for the clerks in this Office: but he
.rlIued to have this done, and in the words
the superintendent of the Census (see re-
III gT November g. lSS9 page b, the examin-
IONS required by the rules were not compe-
rive, but merely tested the qualifications of
Frh candidates only as might be designated
2 examination by the superintendent of
.Esus. 1t thus appears that the superin-
ndeut was permitted to retain in his own
tGl- the power of making nominations
Irhout which admission TO the Census
area u was impossible.
The well-kuown opinions of Mr. Porter
no was selected by the President TO ad.
mister this office made it certain that
rSe appointments would become in great
Casure matters of political patronage.
Mr. PortCr's opposition of civil service re-
rnl methods clearly appears in his testi-
eny before the House Committee on re-
nm Of the civil service, September g. 1880
said Up. i25l that civil service methods
ere creating n system of barna cleismr -
gain: There Was some effort IN. ll2) TO
we the census brought under the control
the Civil service Commission. The main
5ecuon / urged at the time was on account
the temporary employment Mr. Porter
rtber stated that in the Census Bureau
rpOintees were, AS rule, recommended by
.pubhcans Up. IA.
A VIOLATION OF THE LAW.
The act of March l. 1883 (sectlon A., pro-
les that the Secretary OF the Interior
all, upon the recommendation of the
perintendent of the Census, designate the
nibcr OF supervisors, who are to be ap-
futed by the President with the advice
q consent OF the senate, and directs that
9ch supervisor shall designate to the
uerintendent suitable persons, and with
q consent OF the Superintendent shall EN-
1y such persons as cnumerators within
a lot paCh nb-di iy isiO
all be selected solely with reference to
ness and without reference to their politi-
party Affiliations" 1t will thus be seen
at the act itself endeavors to incorporate
e principle underlying civil service re-
I'm, which is that in these subordinate,
n-pOlttical offices appointments shall go
merit, and not by political favor. If this
Division had been fully enforced, COM
Lints OF the partisan character of the cen
could not justly be made: but, unfortu-
tely, the supervisors were themselves
Eely appointed upon political considcra-
ms, and the result was that the appoint
.nts Of enU merators was in many localities
natter OF political patronage.
tepuDhcan members of Congress nomi-
ted great numbers. Sometimes the rec
unendatlon Of Democratic members and
ler influential politicians procured the
poIntment OF a few, the object being APP
rently TO add to the political strength of |
office. The great mass of officials clerks
'ervisors and enumerators came from the |
publican party. Whatever the motive |
- a ililC u COhuGcJ Was sure TO dis |
'dlt the result. Even had it been true |
tt lt WIS not possible to select the emu
ratOrs under civil service reform meth
8, It was certainly possible to select both |
rks and supervisors without reference to
Itlcal considerations: and the appoint |
ut ot supervisors in this way would to q |
Ee extent insure the selection of non-par-
IN enumerators, as the law required
THE EFFECTS ~ NEW YORK.
undoubtedly, the worst effects of tba
roEage system Of appointments are ap- |
'ent in New York. One l. II. Murray. a |
publican politician, WAS made supervisor /
nc census of Ullat city Tim f,Ii.,,.;rcr /