The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-25
SIGNS OF A BIG SCANDAL
IN TIE CENSUS BUREAU That
MAY EVEN CALL FOR POLICE

MAY EVEN CALL FOR POLICE
A Real Reign of Terror Has Been In
augurated by Notorious Persons of
Both sexes-An Attempt to Drive
Respectable Women From Their
Positions.
From the Pittsburo Dispatch.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2l.-If any portion
of the census Office is in existence when the
| Fifty-second congress meets, an investiga-
tion will no doubt be set on foot that will
bring to light some astounding facts re-
garding the methods employed to produce
the misleading and inaccurate statistics that
have been given to the world. Probably
no census that has ever been taken in this
or any other country has been so utterly
discredited as this one.
For this the superintendent of the census,
Robert 7. Porter, IS In large measure re-
spoDsible. There exists, however, In his
bureau another class of abuses besides the
Juggling of statistics for which he cannot
be held to account, although. as head of the
bureau and responsible for its management
he cannot altogether escape censure.
THE POLICE MAY BE CALLED ON.
:. These abuses have been carried on for
many months, al = constitute scandal that
may soon call for police interference if not
stamped out by the federal officials under
whose eyes they are carried on day after
day. They are Of such nature that the
whole about them may never reach the
public, bnt enough has been and will be
told to reveal their hideous nature.
While it is true that among the several
hundred clerks appointed by Mr.. Porter
there were a large number OF efficient and
deserving MEN, women, girls aud boys, it is
| ais true that associated with them were
| and now are persons of both sexes unfit to
be engaged in any respectable business
Many Of the chiefs OF divisions, too, are
totally unfit 70 have charge of important
work, or TO be placed in control OF large
| numbers Of clerks, and some of them are
persons Of bad character, whose presence in
the Office is an insult TO the respectable
clerks employed there and a disgrace to the
United States government.
APPOINTMENTS MADE IN A HURRY.
Many hundreds of clerks have been en-
ployed since the work OF taking the eleventh
census was tegun, and. as was the case ten
years ago, they were all appointed within a
| short space Of time and without opportunity
| to gain knowledge Of their character and
! qualifications. AS these appointments
were not under the jurisdiction of the civil
service law, they were made for the most
part on the recommendations of congress-
men and various other persons of more or
less influence and prominence.
Thus IL was that when the census office
was we'll under .wey it's pay
rolls were burdened with the
names OF many persons men and
women, of the worst possible moral char
acter, many of them being placed in charge
| of competent and respectable clerks elderly
| women, young girls and young men. These
| clerks were tyrants in the orders which
they issued regarding the quantity of work
| TO be done, and their private conduct has
been demoralizinR TO tue entire office.
They were responsible for the orders that
| compelled the women to perform u certain
amount OF work every day, sui ject g. the
| penalty of dismissal, and who carried out
system relentlessly until Secretary Noble
was compelled, in the interest OF humanity,
to put stop to it.
| NO DIVISION CHIEFS DISCHARGED.
During the past summer the work of get
ting before the country the inaccurate sta
| tistics collected and compiled by the bureau
| has been so far advanced that large DOR
ton of the Office force has been discharged.
There are now comparatively few clerks at
| works, but division chiefs, as far as heard
from, are all on duty still, and carrying on
their war of persecution against such of
| their subordinates as have been so unfortu-
nate as to fall under their displeasure.
1t would be impossible to enumerate all
the abuseI perpetrated, but one or two
samples will furnish good illustration of
the whole. In one of the largest Of the di-
| visions, situated on one of the t1p floors of
the Ninth street building, veritable reign
Of terror exists. The chief is a man OF no
torious character, and the assistant is his
companion in evil doing
The two officials have repeatedly at
| tempted to secure the removal of especially
competent clerks, who protested against
their scandalous conduct in the office. Time
| and again they marked them for dismissal
only to find stronger influence than theirs
was enlisted in their behalf
THE CLIMAY OF ABUSES.
A few weeks ago there were imported into
this division from neighboring city two
notorious women, who were nlaced in
charge OF the work performed by the clerks
whom the chiefs were anxious to get rid of
The conduct OF the imported clerks was so
scandalous, especially with regard to their
relations to the chiefs, that three of the
ladies rebelled. They refused to be insulted
further by taking assignments of work
from the "vile creatures" as they called
them, ana the result was that they soon
found their services dispensed with.
There was still one lady in the Office
whom the chiefs feared because thew knew
her to be aware Of their improper conduct.
She is woman of the highest character. a
member Of one of the best families In Wash
ington, and an acquaintance and friend of
the most worthy people. including the wife
Of the superintendent of the census. Being
unable to nd themselves of the presence of
this lady without securing her discharge
the chiefs commenced a systematic ATTEMPT
to ruin her character. In fact, they en-
deavored to put into effect boycott against
| her.
They went to the lady who had immedi-
ate charge Of her Office work and that of
other clerks, and represented her to be
woman Of the vilest character, with whom
no decent persons should associate Their
cowardly attacks did no harm, because the
high character of the woman they assailed
was too well known, but they succeeded in
starting row that may end seriously for
! them.