The evening times., 1899-01-18
WEAK SPOTS IN
THE CENSUS Bills
Alleged Functions of the Pro.
posed Assistant Director.
Plans to Deal Out Spells to Faith
full Party Workers.
Robert u. POrter's Accession to the
formers Causes Concern.

Will the Twelfth Census Office be placed
in the classified service? That is a ques-
ton that is just now OF vast interest 10
a multitude of people. 1t can be safely
said that it will not.
When the work Of the Eleventh Census
was laid out, when the bill providing for
the work was being discussed in Con-
gress, that body was beseiged by civil
service reformers from every section Of
the country who urged that appointments
TO the office be placed in the hands of tie
civil Service Commission.
1t was pretty well understood that Mr..
Robert p. Porter would be superintendent
OF the work. Mr. Porter, if reports are
true, had been singled out by Gen. Har-
fison TO occupy that place in the Eleventh
Census months before the bill was framed
In fact AIR, Porter had much TO do with
the framing of that measure. He was
careful TO see that nothing found its way
into ii that would subject him to dicta-
ton from the Civil Service Commission in
the way of appointment He was dead
set against the civil service notion and
went so far as To emphatically give the
then President to understand that he
would have nothing TO do with the Census
If the office was to be hampered by civil
service law II was then said that il Mr.
Porter had not taken SO determined a
stand against il the Eleventh Census offica
would have been placed in the classified
service.
Mr. Porter's experience as superinten-
dent of the Eleventh Census work brought
a wonderful change TO the spirit OF his
dreams and his attitude on appointments
TO the Twelfth Census Office is what is Civ
ing the oil
deal of concern
1t is conceded that a majority in both
the House and Senate are opposed 10 put
ting the Twelfth Census establishment in
the classified service but the stand Mr.:
Porter has taken has made many of those
who have been and are now really op-
posed TO the civil service idea dubious as
10 the advisability of throwing the Office
open TO the spoilsmen. Mr. Porter has
admitted on very many occasions recently
that he made a deplorable mistake in OPP
posing the civil service in the former Cen
sus Office, and that his opposition tended
to the detriment of the work. He has said
that the greater part of his time as SUI
perintendent was consumed in listening TO
opportunities from all sorts of people for
positions; that night and day he was be-
set by Senators, Representatives. bureau
officers and others who wanted places for
political helpers. and that this time was
simply wasted. so far as the real and i'm
portant work OF his Office went He has
put himself on record as being opposed TO
having the error he made in the conduct
of the Eleventh Census repeated in the
conduct of the Twelfth Census. and has
unreservedly announced himself in favor
of binding the Office up tightly with the
strongest kind OF civil service rules.
1t is this position of Mr.. Porter that
suggested TO some resourceful gentlemen
in the House and Senate who do not pro-
pose to get the worst of things when the
Twelfth Census work is begun. that two
superintendent, or directors, as the bills
now before the Senate and House call
them. would be good idea. This sugges-
tion is viewed with amusement by those
who are familiar with census work. Its
purpose is regarded by them as plain, and
that il will, if adopted, prove source of
endless trouble, they are confident
1t is claimed that the mission of the as
sistant director will be to handle all ap-
pointments, conduct the political end of
the census machine. while the chief direc-
tor-chief, however, in name only-wiil do
the work, if anything worthy the name
of work is done. with such talent as the
real boss. the political bass, sees fit 10 pro-
vide for him from the thousands of men
and women with a pull who have been
shut out of other departments because of
their incapacity to surmount the civil
service rules and who are looking forward
to the Twelfth Census office as haven of
rest and emolument.
Both bills before Congress for the es-
tablishment of the Twelfth Census Office
contain a clause providing for an eXami-
nation for applicants for clerkships. This
clause, however il is claimed by those in
terested in statistical work is vague and
can easily be construed to place the work