The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-06-21

superintendent of the Census Porter is un-
derstood to be tired of the load he is carving
and of the way In which his work has been
dscredited. So tired is he that his resigna-
ton is understood to have been written out
AMI is now in the hands OF his friends. It is
not known that Mr.. Porter received any noti-
ication from his superiors that they are dis
satisfied with the manner in which he has
conducted the taking OF the census. 1t is be-
lieved, however, that President Harrison has
been greatly annoyed at the persistent attacks
made on the accuracy OF the census and the
widespread dissatisfaction with it. especially
in the Northwest. In this section of the
country the feeling is so bitter that 1t is likely
to affect the Republican vote.
Aside from any considerations OF this kind,
1t is believed that Mr.. Porter has got himself
so thoroughly swamped that he would be glad
TO get out. From the first he was filed with
desire to make great record for himself by
completing the census quickly. To do this
he put on very large force of clerks in the
Census Office here and goaded them to the
utmost to get all the work possible out of
them. This caused many complaints from
the clerks In the Office and their friends.
More than this, the great rush with which
everything WAS done in the Office gave color to
less consequence by Superintendent Porter
than the making of record for himself by
getting the work done quickly.
While these complaints of t'sweating'' and
hasty work were constantly appearing in the
press, other complaints of an equally damag-
ing character concerning the administration
of the Census Office were afioat. 1t has been
common talk for months that unworthy
women had been given employment in the
office, and that they We're not required to
work as hard as the other clerks who held
their places by no questionable in nfiuence.
This sort of talk was common about town. and
there is good reason to believe there was lust
ificatton for it.. 1t can hardly be possible
that 1t failed to reach the ears of the Presi-
dent
But the worst consequence of Mr. Porter's
policy of rushing work became manifest
couple OF weeks ago. 1t was then suddenly
discovered that the appropriation for the CEN
sus was almost exhausted because of the large
number OF employees who had been put to
work at the start. If the force was maintained
at Its then strength, the appropriation would
be quickly spent and all work would have to
come to a standstill.
This was most embarrassing dilemma.
There was nothing to do but to make heavy
reductions in the force of employees, although
the work was by no means in such shape that
this could be afforded. But there was no
help for it, and about two weeks ago the guillo-
timing began. Clerks were discharged by the
hundred, and the work on which they had
been engaged was dropped where it stood.
During the past week over 500 discharges
were made, and more are to follow. Every
division of the Office has been affected
by these reductions of force, and
as a consequence there is a
general blocking of work. The accounts of
The numerators, concerning the tardy settle.
ment of which there has been complaint from
the first, are now in worse shape than ever
Through all divisions, it is understood, there
isa blockade, with no prospect of lifting it
until more money is provided from some
source. In short, Superintendent Porter is
swamped. mostly If not altogether by his own
fault, and in his disgust and encouragement
he is said to have written out his resignation.
tC is certain that If Mr.. Porter remains in
office until Congress reconvenes, he will be
subjected to scathing investigation by the
House, and that he would have a very hard
time getting more money from that body, un-
less there was a radical change in the
methods of work in the Census Office.