Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-06

Mr. Davis, chairman OF tnc sv'"h,,
on Foreign Relations, gave notice tha'
no would next Monday. and daily there
after. move that the Senate consiuer III
executive session the Hawaiian anne>a
ton treaty. until II was disposed VI
finally. ,..o.
Mr. Carter. chairman of the Committee
ON Census called up the bill providing
FOR the preliminary arrangements ior 'ne
taking OF the twelfth ana supsequen'
censuses and offered a committee amehu-
ment 10 section :. -.
tackled the amendment. He said that the
Offering of such an amendment, and con-
sideration OF the section as 1t had peen
changed nv the committee, proved tnat
the Republican party was making
square and unconditional surrender upon
the civil service question.
Mr. Hale, OF Maine. thought that me
Senator from Missouri (Mr. cockfelD' oiu
not properly understand the position OF
the committees The committees, through
the bill did not make an attack upon the
position Of thee Republican party, put
upon the civil service question IL pro-
vided for the appointment OF a director OF
the census and thlrty-one subordinates,
and he thought that those positions oueh'
TO be filled as provided for In the Dill.
Mr.. Jones DemocraO. OF ArKansas'
(naIktU lfldl III TIE ldhtHN " ''~
Of 1870. 1850, and 1890. he was sausneu
that frauds perhaps unintentional had
| crept in These frauds were due 10 IN
| competent and dishonest men, who had
been employed in the work.
Mr.. Hale pointed out that II was mani
! testify impossible TO select the census
enumerators through the provisions OF
| the civil service law. AS they were en-
Moved only month or less. they would
1 e no c.1aqfaH substantially as tleY
+ had heretofore been.
| FOR HONESTY AND COMPETENCY.
Mr.. Jones said that all he was contend
ing for was that the census should be
/ taken by honest and competent men, Sc
| lected because they were capable OF doing
| the work assigned TO them. and not be-
cause they had any political influence.
| He then gave notice that after the pend
irg committee amendment had been dis
/ posed OF. he would oner one proViolng
that the assistant director OF the cen
siIs should not be OF the same political
| party as the director
| In n brief discussion of the work or the
| Census Department. Mr.. Allison blunty
asRed those in charge OF the Dill II II
were a fact that a disposition had been
manifested to spin out the work. simply
that some people might get salaries
In reply, Mr. Hale said that the eleventh
| census ana previous Otii0hrNS hcAN b~N''
too extensive i'm scope. so that the bureau
was fairly buried beneath a mass of in
| formation upon many subjects that could
not be inteligently handled by the force
under the Census Director. This work
was not only expensive, but really pro-
loneed the necessary details of the CEN
sus. Mr.. Hale expressed himself as In
favor OK the taking of real census ana
nothing else.
Mr.. Teller. Of Colorado. spoke at some
length i'm support of the idea that ;he
Census Bureau should not be a partisan
bureau. and that its employees should
therefore. be placed in the classified ser
vice.
Mr. Allison. of Iowa. said he was OPP
posed to and would vote against the es-
Establishment Of a permanent Census Bu-
reau. TO be independent in itself. he was
decidedly OF the opinion that the bureau
ought to be attached 10 one OF the regu-
lar departments Of the government.
Mr.. Chiffon. of Texas, in an extended
speech. declared that it was scandal 10
hove issued so many volumes as seemed
necessary TO cover the work of the GEN.
suses of 1880 and 1890. He expressed a
hone that the efforts of the gentleman
from Maine CMr Hale) TO reduce 10 red
sonable proportions the topics TO DE
handled by the twelfth census would DC
successful.
CIVIL-SERVICE DEBATE.
Ouite unexpectedly, a lively civil-servict
debate was precipitated just at the close
of the session. Mr.. Carter, in charge OF
the bill. said that he would nave th'
measure printed. with the amendments
thar had been offered to it, and for tina
purpose would consent 10 nave II tei n.y.
rarilv laid aside, He then moVed ina
the Senate proceed to the consideration
of executive business.
Pending the passage Of that motion
the Vice-President laid belore the SENATE
the reply of Secretary Sherman 10 mt
senate resolution requesting informa y
as to the application of the civil-serVic'
: law in his department. Secretary sher
man recommended in his reply that Ger
tain positions in the State Depart ineh
, be excepted from the operation OF tn
, civil-service law.
Mr. Cockreu of Missouri was on hi
feet instantly upon the conclusion Of tn
reading ,of Secretary Sherman's com
q muncation.
p coming from Secretary Sherman, VIII
q served long years in Congress, THIS com
munication must be regarded as yer.
- remarkable document" said he. In
. President himself, as Secretary Shermai
well knows, has ample authority L
g | modify the law In dcCOIuduCc WI" ~
= recommendations of his Secretary
- State. For a Secretary of State to com
to Congress for such relief as Mr.. Sher
+ man requests, when his own chief, IN
G President of the United States, has 1ul
o power to act, is presumptuous.
d Mr.. Allison said that in making his re
plv Secretary Sherman had simply com
/, plied with the explicit request or IN
l. Senate and he had the resolution rea
a ia show that il called for recommenda
u tions or suggestions for notifications ina
! Cabinet officials might have TO make:
MIR. Cullom, of Illinois. the author OF tn
resolution calling for the Information
i the course Of some remarks bearing upo
il said in a general way that he was !
!, favor of the. civil-service law He wa
= free 70 say. however. that modification
i'm its application might be maze with az
vantage.
Mr.. Cullom was interrupted by MI. "A
q len Of Nebraska with the charge that IN
g civil-service law was openly and dali
y violated by the heads of the goVernmef
a departments.
F" HISS AND A BY-WORD.
r. "As Il is now administered" said h
IS at is a hiss and by-word among th
e people" -,
y. Resuming, Mr. Cullom said he had y
Is Information as to specific violations
, the law. but he would like to have II
l. whole matter investigated, as he was sa
~ ieaed that the authorities were very "a
F. from CARRYING out the original intentio
e of the authors of the law.