Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-06
PORTER ON THE RACK.
The Census Bureau Accused of EX.
ravagance and Even Worse.
SPEAKER CRISP YET A SICK MAN.
He Tries to Put in Day. but Is Forced to
Leave the Chair.
THE FIRST DAY UNDER THE NEW RULES

THE FIRST DAY UNDER THE NEW RULES
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. 5.-The Gen.
sus Bureau, its management, and the extent
to which it has been subordinated to politi-
cal ends were the subject of two hours
spirited discussion in the House to-day.
While the discussion In general way was
upon the party lines, the Superintendent of
the Census was not without supporters on
the Democratic cside-Representative Stone
of Kentucky, being among the warmest
champions of Mr.. Porter's efficiency and
official zeal.
For the first time this session the House
met this morning with a code of rules to
govern its procedure, but owing to driv-
ing snow storm which visited Washington
TODAY, the attendance of members was very
small Speaker Crisp, who, though present
YESTERDAY occupied the chair for but a brief
period, was in his place this morning, and
called the House TO order promptly at
noon.
Mr.. Fithian, of Illinois, sent to the
Speaker for reference bill placing farm
implements upon the free list BE wished
to have the bill printed in the Record, but
the Speaker declined to recognize him for
the purpose of making the request at the
present time
Sneaker Crisp in Bad Shape.
Speaker Crisp was very hoarse, and his
voice was hardly audible. The calling of
the committee for reports, which is usually
made by the speaker in person, was dele
gated TO one Of the reading clerks, the
Speaker being desirous of saving his throat
as much as possible. Finally he left the
chair and yielded the gavel to MI. McMil-
lin. OF Tennessee.
Several reports were made from commit
tees and placed on the appropriate calen-
darS.
The call of committees having been COM
pleted Mr.. Fithian, of Illinois, made his
request that the bill introduced by him be
printed in the Record, and the request was
acceded TO-
The House then went into committee of
the whole, Mr.. Richardson, of Tennessee, in
the chair on the census deficiency bill. Mr..
Savers Of Texas, in charge of the bill, made
an exclamation as to its provisions, and
brought a charge of extravaganza against
the administration of the Census Bureau.
He said that hundreds of men and women
who never ought to have been employed
had been EMPLOYED in that Office at the in
stance of members of Congress. Had the
Superintendent OF Census been left to oper-
ate his bureau without pressure from the
oasside to put in office large number of in
competent persons, the expenditure would
have been very much less.
Mr.. Henderson, of Iowa-Do you refer to
the number or the quality?
NJ. Sayers-To both.
I-vide-ice in tho Hands of 3fr Sayers.
M Henderson inquired whether the gen.
tleman had any evidence to justify his
statement
IIr Savers insisted that he had That
evidence had come to him from outside
sources. 1t had been stated to him that the
salaries OF Incompetent persons had been
LARGELY increased. There had been a use
less expenditure of public money.
Elr Henderson contended that the office
had been economically administered, and
asked Mr. S2yerS to bear him out in this I
conJer5ion.
This Nj Savers declined to do, stating
that from the information he had received
he could not indorse the declaration. Many
an employe who was drawing a salary of
Si00 a month was unable to discharge his |
duties. He believed that committee |
should be appointed TO investigate the adj
ri.istratioa Of the office. Such an investi-
CATION should justify him in his statement
a. to the extravaganza OF the bureau.
Nr Dinglev, of Maine, regretted that the |
gentleman from Texas had made charges |
AGAINST the Superintendent of the Census !
that had never been made before the Com |
mit-ee on Appropriations. 1t seemed to |
him iha. such charges made by the gentle |
nlaa (from anonymous sources) should have |
been brought to the attention of the COM |
1alttee He was sure that had this been
done the minority of the committee would |
have insisted thar an investigation be made. |
: Q1cstioR for Committee First.
1. was unfair TO the superintendent that |
such charges should be made against him on |
the floor OF the House. If there had been |
any mIsmanagemenr of the Census Office; if !
any employees were unfit to perform their |
duties these allegations were matters that |
should have been brought to the attention |
o, the committee and not launched upon |
the House when the members of the COM |
mittee could not have an opportunity OF in |
QE ring whether there was any foundation |
Jor the charges. He believed that the |
superintendent had faithfully performed |
the duty that had been intrusted to him. If |
tae expenditure OF the Census Bureau had |
been increased this was due to the fact that |
Congress had imposed upon it the new and |
lnHeard-ot duty of inquiring into the |
private business of citizens and compelling.
mortgages.
Nir DUNCAN, of Ohio, opposed an appro-
priation Tor the Census Bureau until the
charges made against it had been answered |
satisfactorily. It had been said that tons
and tons of statistics had been DESTROYED
after compilation, and that lot of punch
ing machines (the invention of a relative),
which could be purchased for SO had been
employed al a royalty Of IS.
Indiana Limestone a Factor,
Mr.. Cooper, of Indiana, criticised the
census Office on the ground that it had dis
crlmIHated against certain Limestone in
uUstrIes Of Indiana and in favor of others.
In the taking OF the census great inaccuracy,
II not dishonesty, had been committed. as
far as the limestone countries were con-
cerneG.
Mr. Stone, of Kentucky, paid high
tribute to the ability and efficiency of the
Of the Census
Mr.. Sayers, Of Texas, offered an amend
ment appropriatirg S115, 514 for the subsist-
cree OF tho Sioux Indians, and calling upon
the Secretary of the Interior to report to
the houSe the names Of all employees under
the direction and supervision of the Indian
Bureau 1he latter clause of this amend
lnent Was The hrst general legislation to be
incorporated upon an appropriation bill, |
but no objection being made, the amend
ment was adopted
The committee having arisen, the bill was
passed. Inc private calendar was then !
taken up Tor consideration, but no progress
was made, and the House adjourned until
l2-45 O'Clock tomorrow, when eulogies will