Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-12
THE CENSUS INVESTIGATION.
The Committee Finds Some Trouble in Get.
ting Down to Its Work.

ting Down to Its Work.
The census Office investigating committee as
sembled this morning to begin the inquiry as
signed to it. but found some trouble in getting
to work The resolution of the House under
I which the committee is proceeding di-
reeted an Investigation Of charges that
the census work had been wrongly
conducted in the state of New York and else
where in the interest of partisan politics, that
funds had been wantonly wasted and that the
bureau had been mismanaged.
Representative J. d. Taylor at the outset
offered resolution directing that all charges
to be investigated be presented in writing by
some reliable person. He said that the charges
alleged were too broad and general. The per-
sc:Is making the charges should present them in
a specific way. 1t was charged that the bureaus
funds were wantonly wasted. When, where
and how?
Representative Bentley On " replied to Mr.
Taylor. He eaid that the House had imposed a
duty upon the committee. The committee was
not here aS prosecuting attorney, but to lis
ten to any charges made by rep
utable persons and on its own motion
10 inquire into the management of the
bureau. 1t would be unjust TO the bureau to
have the investigation practically dismissed by
requiring an Indictment with specifications to
be framed. Such a mode Of procedure would
preclude the investigation.
Chairman Fithi.n OF Illinois said that the
committees authority is obtained from the
House itself. and if the charges were not
deemed specific enough the objections should
have been raised on the floor Of the House. 1t
seemed to him the charges were specific
enough.
1t had been charged that the committee
would be hanpered and embarrassed By rea-
son of appointments made for its members by
Superintendent Porter. He (Mr. Fithian) had
received 10 appointments.
The committee could not proceed If it were
required that persons should come in and say
just what would be proved and il would be
disregard of the directions of the House.
Mr.. TAYLOR said that there seemed to be o
misappre hensiOn of his resolution. He had not
attempted to throttle the investigation. but he
supposed when the resolution of the House
formatlOn TO lay before the committee. No person
from his district was now in the bureau. Five
persons had been appointed and had resigned
becanse OF the low salaries. Investigations sell
dom amounted to much and this investigation
would never end unless something specific was
stated.
Mr.. Tavlor's resolution was defeated
Representative Hepburn Of Philadelphia was
asked to make a statement. He said that he
was not prepared to go into details. as he sup
posed tod;:ys meeting would be preliminary.
The census bureau had begun pro-
neeted with the census in Philadelphia
AID i. might not be proper for him to enter
into thai matter pending the trial. He bad
seen something Of the census Office, and the
more he saw the more Disguised lie
became. He complained of how things
had been conducted in Philadelphia and
tcld hog Mr. Thompson. the census agent in
charge of Philadelphia manufactures, came to
Dc appointed. The census office wanted some
large manufacturer like Hamilton Disston to
take the place.
1, wsn:ed figurehead who would do the
work perfunetorily and permit the Office in
Washington 10 run things. When Mr.. Thomp-
son. who was young man familiar with such
work, showed deposition to make q thorough
earnest canvass he found that was not what was
wanted; the census oiice wanted to control
things in Washington
Mr. Reyburn next complained that an emu
merator and his wife had died in the Philadel-
Ihia aims house when there was money due the
man from the United States. Secretary No.
bic had ordered the money to be
had withheld it ard in some way had prevented
its payment. He asked tina. the committee
secure all the correspondence relating to the
Philadelphia Census.
Mr. Holmes. chief o. the farms homes and
| mortgage division of the census Office testified
! thai = number of his employees were taken from
the division and used ON other work whieh
/ II was desired to have done quickly for
some special reason. He always had need of
edge that because OF political influence persons
had been employed and retained who were in
competent
| Tie committee then adjourned. as it did not
have information on which to proceed at the
/ present time.