The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-02-03
THE CENSUS BILL.
The Committee Makes It's Report to
the Hc:.sc.

the Hc;,sc.
Following is portion of the report OF
Chairman Hopkins, of the Census Com
mittee, which was submitted to the House
yesterday:
The Committee Census. to whom was referred
senate bill No. iJ+J. entitled AN aC provide
ios taking the twelfth and subsequent census has
fnlly considered that bill and beg leave report
4 substitute for the same. and recommend that the
substitute, as reported by the committee, receive
the favorable consideration of the House. The
substitute bill the same the Senate bill.
provides that The twelfth census shall he restricted
10 five separate heads namely, population,
taiitN. products of manufacturing, and mechanical
Industries and agricultural products of the United
states II is a'so proposed TO restrict III enquiries
under these heads 10 4 much greater extent than
was done IN either the tenth eleventh censuses
Nine years and four months elapsed before the
last volume published in the tenth
and eight Years and three months passed away be-
fore the last volume of the eleventh census
published. Much of the material contained in
these volumes had become obsolete before they
were given TO the public in the final volumes
In the preparation OF the bill submitted by your
committee they have, far as practicable limited
the enquiries 10 those subjects of paramount in
tcrest to The general public. and have provided
Tor the work IN manner that will enable the
director al ihe census TO give the results of the
work provided for in this bill to the public by the
time limited in the bill, aamely-Iuly l, 1902.
lnur committee, recognizing that the general
many other subjects that will not he included
within the census reports proper. have provided
III section ten OF the substitute bill submitted by
them 10 the House that the director of the census,
after the completion and Return OF the ration
and Of the work upon the schedules relating To
agriculture, manufacturing and mechanical estab-
isilrnents and of the mortality schedule. may col
4ecl statistics relating 10 the special classes i'll
Guiding the insane, feeFic minded. deaf. dumb.
and blind; 10 crime, pauperis, and bencvolenCe,
including prisoners paupers juvenile delinqucnts,
and inmates Of benevolent and reforaatory insti-
tutions; to deaths and births in registration areas
TO social statistics OF cities: TO public indebted
ness. valuation, taxation, and expenditures: 10
electric light and power, telephone and telegraph
business. and TO transportation by water, express
business and street railways and 10 mines, mining
and minerals.
The Senate Hill provides that there shall be
established in the Department OF the Interior a
census office, the chief OF which shall he
denominated the director OF the census The
substitute bill presented by your committee has
provided for the establishment at the seat of gov
eminent OF census Office, providing its duties
and making IL separate and independent hiI-
redu. Before proposing this radical change con-
tanned III the substitute bill Your committee gave
careful thought and study 10 the subject, and
found upon investigation that these most con-
rersant with the operation of previous ccnsuses
practically concur in the opinion that separate
bureau Is in every way desirable.
To insure the greatest efficiency in the work
OF taking the twelfth census the Senate bill as
well as the substitute prepared by your com
mttee, provides for, in addition to the director,
an assistant director Of the census. who shall lie
an experienced practical statistician The bill
also provides that the chiefs of the five general
divisions OF the Office shall be persons OF known
and tried experience in statistical work The
bill also provides for a geographer whose duties ii
viii be 10 aid the director OF the census in dyit-
ing the country into suitable districts for the
work of the supervisors and enumerators The Of
ice organization under the bill of your committee
VIII he more compact ana will afford better
distribution Of the burdens OF responsibility than
any bill relating 10 the eleventh tenth OF
previous census.
The aggregate compensation of the force-abo,lt
the clerks OF grade number one-is much less than
IN Inc eleventh census and the changes made will
| IN a large measure add efficiency to the work
Your committee accorded hearing to repre-.
| sentatives of the National Civil Service Reform
League on the question TO whether or not The
! employees OF the Census Office shall be placed
under the civil service law as now administered
IN the various departments of the Government
The representatives Of this league stated that the
most numerous class OF employees in the taking OF
| the twelfth census. namely. the ertIrnerator
could not be selected under the civil service law
They frankly admitted to your committee that tho
law as 1T Is administered would be ilpracf icaIlc
and inapplicabc for the selection of such officers
but argued that the supervisors of ana
other employees could lee and that il would be wisf
! to select them from the eligible list prepared
| by the Civil Service Commission.
Your committee believe that supervisor Sc
| lected by the Civil Service Commission at Wash
| lngton, ID. C., would he less qualified TO lesgnat.
TO the director fit persons Tor The enumeratior
| WORK ana the discharge Of all the other drtie4
| imposed IN the accompany ing bill upon the en-
ufneTatlon than supervisor selected by th,. Pre.i
| dent from the locality in which the enumeration
work Is to be done and whose choice will be mad
| nom ms known fitness for the work, thorough
| knowledge OF the district in which he lives from
| which he i To be appointed and in which he i
| TO perform his duties. They believe also that In
| examination provided for the other cnplovcs q
| The Office in section seven Of the accompanyin:
blll VIII secure a efficient class Of clerk
for the discharge Of the duties connected with ia
| taking Oi the twelfth census than il would /.
| possible TO secure by taking the clerical fore
from the eligible list as now prepared. or as here
alter might be prepared, by the Civil Service Com
mission. Each empuye in the clerical force vii
| be selected for his special fitness for the Uorl
and must pass examination provided for b.
the director OF the census TO his qualification
Tor such work before the appointment will b
made. This method 81 testing the qualification
Of each applicant for clerical work in the Censu
Bureau - such your committee believe, Is vii
commend itself 10 all iair-Ininded men, IRE
spectiye OF party.
In the preparation Of the bill for taking tn
twelfth census your committee have followed III
outline Of previous bills Is lar as relates 10 tn
creation Of the office Of supervisor, but hay
| largely increased the number. In the tenth CpI,l
the law provided Tor hundred and fifty surc.
Vlsors, and in the eleventh census for one lndrt
and seventy five. The director Of tho ceu.,is
authorized TO employ or more supervisors /
each State, Territory, and The District of t0Iuu
hlI- not exceeding, however, three hundred
hninher The authorization OF three hundred wi
enable The director OF the census to conform Ia
work more nearly 10 the civil divisions 81 II
several States. and in many cases will be- enable
10 conform the supervisors districts 10 that Of II
Congressional districts in the States The small,
districts that viii thus be given supervisors
| the bill reported by YOUR committee will briu
the territory OF each more nearly within Il
radius Of the superyisa-s personal acenIaiptauc
anu VIII enable nm 10 prcpsae more exact en-