The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-30
In Violation OF His Pledge He Made
the Census Bureau Party
Plunder.
The Work in New York Dono by
Ward Heelers and Political
Founders.
From Porter Down OMcials and Einployea
Wero in Republican seryice-CivlI
Service Disregarded.

the condition Of tho civil service, and
which will be read before the league to-
morrow at rGeeting here, is very ex-
tensivs one and deals wholly with the last
census. It quotes the civil service reform
plank of the lass republican platform and
declares that if any branch OF the scrvicc
should havo been kept free from party con-
troversy, it was the census bureau; il the
administration has the free choice Of
non-political and political agency for
taking the enumeration. and chooses the
latter. composed of officials Of It's political
faith, the presumption is against the fair
ness of the census so taken. Defective
resultf in the census of 1870 were directly
traceable to the patronage system. I'M
provement produced by tho elimination Of
partisanship from the census IL shown in
the comparatively satisfactory reeuits and
general confidence in the census of 1880.
This was before the civil service law, but
the essential element of political consider
alton in appointments was largely observed.
Coming down to the present census the re-
port says that if the promise Of the republi-
can platform had any significance at all it
meant that the president would extend the
competitive system to clerks of tho census
bureau when that bureau should be estab-
lished. Mr.. Harrison in concurring with
and adopting the platform, distinctly made
this promise his own.
The we'll known opinions of Mr.. Porter,
who was selected by the president as gu
psrintendent Of the census. made it certain
that the appointments would become, in a
great measure, matters of political patron
age. Porter's opposition to civil! service re-
form methods clearly appears in his testi-
mony before the house committee, Sept. 8,
1890, when he said civil service methods
"were creating system of barnacleism." !"
The act of March !, 1889. dir ects that each
supervisor shall designate to the supe-in-
tendent suitable persons, and with his con-
sent. employ such persons. as enumer ators,
who shall be selected solely with reference
to fitness and without reference to political
party affiliations. If this provision had
been fully enforced complaints Of the parti-
san character Of the census could not justly
be made, but unfortunately, the supervisors
were themselves largely appointed upon
political considerations and the result was
that the appointment OF enumerators was
in many localities matter OF political pat
ronage.
Careful inquiry by your committee
shows that while In some places political
considerations had no weight, yet super
visors were influenced in many other cases
bv partisan considerations. Mon we're cho-
sen without reference to their fitness, on
account Of political services, and iE such
cases the work was often badly done, and
in many instances thoroughly discredited."
The committee then goes on to give at
great length reports from civil service as
sociations in different sections Of the coun-
try. The general tenor of the reports is
IL hay hov kAn
appointed as d reward for political purposes
was untrustworthy.
Much space is devoted to New York,
where, says the committee, the worst effects
of the patronage system arc apparent. @.
H. Murray, republican politician. was
made supervisor for New YORK city, and a
circular letter from him is quoted as show
ing the manner IN which enu:nerators were
selected. This letter says: You Will please
forward to this office a list of applicants
that the republican organization OF your
district desires to have named as census
enumerators." Tho men named in these
lists were subsequently appointed and, says
among them there must have been con-
siderable number utterly unfit for the work
and it ls not surprising that among them
Police Inspector Byrnes should recognize
we'll known criminals. Tho committee
goes over the dispute between Now York
sus, quotes many inaccuracies alleged to
have been found in the government reports.
instances of the Incompetent work OF
enumerators, etc.
In conclusion the committee consider
that the following propositions have been
established as a result of their inquiries:
That refusal to apply the civil service re-
form system OF open, non-partlsan, COM
petitive examinations i'll appointments to
tho census bureau. was violation by the
president of the promise contained in tho
Republican platform of 1883, and endorsed
in his letter of acceptance; that by the ap.-
polntment of enumerntorB on political
grounds in open violation of section of
the census act, great numbers OF lnoompe-
ing the census, and in many
places attempts had been made to
use official positions for the benefit OF the
party in power; that while in some places
the results of the work appears free from
partisan color and to be accurately and
we'll done. yet in many places the work had
been carelessly and badly done, and is open
to the suspicion that PARTISAN considera-
tions have not been absent; and that,
finally. there is widespread distrust of the
census, which greatly impairs its value to
the country and which is caused, in great
measure, by the fact that the census bureau
has been conducted on the spoils system.
The committee Expresses the behef that no
census will hereafter receive tho confidence
Of the people until it has been wholly re-
moved from partisan influences.
buying Provisions.
CHICAGO, Sept. 29.--It is reported here
that the French government during the last
three weeks has been quietly buying up an
enormous amount Of grain and meats,