Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-03-16
DECLARES War ON
THE CENSUS BUREAU
Civil Service Commission Wants
to Secure Control Of the
Appointments.
TO MAKE spoILs SYSTEM oDlDvs
Gomiiiissionef Proctor Says There 1.
Going to Be Lots of Fun--state.
inent by the Acting Dircc.
tor of the Census.

Chicago, March 16.-A special to the
Tribune from Washington says:
War has been declared by the civil
service commission on the census Of
flee, and I'VE are going to have lots of
fun, said Commissioner Proctor. Ev-
eryone knows what n fight the reform=
ers made to control the appointments
and how congress decided against
them. When Commissioner Proctor
was asked what the commission had
to do with the matter, since congress
ruled it out, he said:
I'VE have any number of people who
come here to find out how to get into
office. When lady comes to inquire
In the future l am going to ask her
| am going to tell her to find the SEN
ators from that state. l am going TO
advise her to be at the senator's house
before breakfast and follow him to the
capitol, and never rest until she has
had talk with him, and as many
tulks us possible. ! am going to tell
her that lots of other people are seek
ing him and that her best chance of
appointment is to be MS persistent as
possible. When l have sent thirty or
forty people after each senator or con-
gresham L think the latter will be-
tired of the spoils system.
'"rhe way to get rid of II bad thing
is to make it obnoxious. am going
to make it just as unpleasant as | can.
We We're anxious to get the census UNI
der our control because the last one
cost the government $2,o00,OU0 more
than 1t would otherwise have done. In
the last census the personnel of the
Office was changed three times, or as
often as senator's and representatives
went OUT
Statement by Acting Director.
Washington. March TO- Acting Di-
rector of the Census Wines has given
out statement designed to offset the
belief that Il large number of census
appointments will be made at once. lit
says that Under the census act not
more than sixty places are provided
for above the grade of class one, with
maximum compensation of $1,000 per
year, and that onc-fourth of these are
staff positions. for which none but eN-
perts need apply. Applicants for clerk
ships of higher grade than class one
are expected to enter lower classes and
be promoted OH merit.
All employees at over 5000 per year,
it is stated, will undergo an educa-
tional test. Applications to the direc-
tor for appointments as enumerators
are stated to be useless, the super
visors, who get $1,000, appointing
them. Enumerators' employments
will not exceed thirty days, with u
compensation of about $3.50. Special
agents will not be needed before June,
1900. They will be paid not to exceed
Sc per day, travelling and subsistence
allowances, and their qualifications
should be akin to those of a good, ordi-
nary commercial traveller of whole
sale house. All applications should be
accompanied by recommendations and
the number of employees will average
one to every county in the United
States. The statement concludes:
Young and vigorous men and
women. in the prime of life, will have
the preference over the aged and de-
crepit. but whose practical utility for
the purposes of the census Office is OIL
the wane or at an end