The Mena star., 1899-03-08
CENSUS BUREAU MATTERS
The Work of Selecting Supervisors of Census Districts Will Begin
 in a Few Days.
THE RETIREMENT OF SECRETARY ALGER.
The Head of the War Dep artment Want. the President to Let Him Nam His Successor--The Choctaw and ChicIx ,saw Town>ite Commissioners win Begin Their Work in a Few Days.


 
 Washington. March S.-The appoint ments of the director and assistant di- rector of the census are to be followed by prompt organization of the bureau. There are 300 supervisors of census districts to be named. The work of selection will begin in few days, but the names may not be announced un- til the list is completed. As general thing, the census districts will follow the boundaries of congressional dis tricts- In most of the states there will be a supervisor for each congress sional district and the purpose is to select a resident of each district for the position. The supervisor will have charge of the enumerators whc will take the census. Wide acqu aint- ance with the district will be an es- sential qualification of candidate for supervisor.
 Director Merriam opened his first official day by calling at the interior department and paying his respects to Seer tary Hitchcock The census bu- reau is attached to the interi or depart ment.
 The home of Dr. E. H. Wines is at Springfield, ILL. also the home of Sen ator Cullom. While Dr. Wines ap- pointment as assistant director of the census was we'll backed it was due more than anything else to the fact that he is said to be one of the best equipped statisticians in the United States. His application was indorsed by educational and scientific institu- tions throughout the country. The president, it is said. feels that the cen sus is now in competent hands. Ex- Gov. Merriam, as director of the cen sus. will bring executive ability, the power of organization and wide knowledge of men and affairs. Dr. Wines possesses statistical ability of marked order. Both appoin tments are generally taken to indicate that poli- tics will not play an important part in the taking of the census.
 Retirement of Secretary AIger.
 Washington, March s. Secretary of War Alger has had a plain talk with the president regarding his continua- tinn in the cabinet in view of the strong opposition to him that has been manifested throughout the country. A member of the cabinet is authority for the statement that he told the president that rather than subject the administration to any mbarrassment he would retire, but he said he did not want to go out under fire while the hostile criticism of the war department was at its height, and he suggested that, in order to allow him to get out of the cabinet as gracefully as possi- ble, he be allowed to suggest the name of his successor In the conversation that followed, he remarked that he had seen that the president would like to have New York man in the ca abi- net and the name of Gen. Anson c. McCook was men ntioned. Secretary Alger is said to have asked the presi- dent not to appoint Gen. McCoolx, say ing that the general was his enemy. There was further discussion of vari- ous New York men in connection with the place, in the course of which it was developed that Gov. Roosevelt would like very much to have Elihu Root given a place in the cabinet Some question was raised, however, as to whether Senator Platt would in- dorse the appointmentof of Mir. Root and no decision was reached
 The Indian Townsite Commissiop.
 Washington, March s The town site commissioners appointed for the Choctaws and Chiclxasaws will receive their instructions from the interior department in very few days and then proceed with their work. Tn the sundry civil bill, as 1t passed. there was an appropriation of $50. 000 made for the payment of the townsite com missioners. Thus far no townsite commissioners have been appointed for the Cherokee. Creek and Seminole nations It is doubtful whether any will be appointed. The commissioners appointed for the Choctaw and Chick. asaw nations were appointed under the agreement entered into between these Indians and the Dawes commis- sion. In the Cherokee and Creek agreements, which are now pending, no provision was made for the fixing of townsites under the plan agreed upon by the Choctaws and Chicka. saws