The Saint Paul globe., 1900-04-12
capital Chat.
Washington Gossip, Political and
Otherwise, for the Readers
Of the Globe.

OtdlcS C6iSuSI IOudy THAI he Adu
everything arranged for taking the sta
tistics OF the eleventh census and that
the real work In the field would begin
in May or early In June. BY this, Gov.
Merriam meant that the enumerators OF
the population statistics will have begun
their work in their states, and by June
15. he anticipates, reports will begin to
come In to the bureau here and the tab
ulation OF them will begin Immediately.
The bureau. according to some of the
officials there who seem to know the
situation, will need about 800 clerks to
work the tabulation machines. They will
be paid an exceedingly small salary. ac-
cording to the view point of the average
government clerk. The salary per month
will not exceed $50. and their term of
service will be exceedingly brief. 1t Is
believed that the population tabulation
can be completed so that the returns from
many of the big cities can be announced
as early as Sept next. Gov. Merriam, at
least, expects that he can give out the
figures of New York. Philadelphia, Chi
cago, Boston, Baltimore. San Francisco,
Portland, Seattle, ST. Paul, Minneapolis,
Milwaukee and Duluth by that time. 1t
is estimated that as was the case ten
years ago, New York will lead and the
order of the cities following will be Phila-
delphia, Chicago, Boston. Baltimore, Gin
cinnati, st. Louis; and running pretty
well up with these named above, San
Francisco Seattle, Portland, Milwaukee,
Minneapolis, st. Paul and Duluth.
The returns from the agricultural dis
tricts will not get in so early as from
the cities and towns throughout the coun-
try. The experts at the census office
think, however, that the population Of the
United States will be pretty accurately
known by December next and that, leav-
ing our new possessions out Of the Ques-
ton, it will exceed 85000,0Oo people. The
other statistics to be taken will probably
not be completed year hence.
1t will be ten years hence, probably, be-
fore the eleventh census Is fully COM
pleted. BY that time it is more than like
ly that a permanent bureau will be cs-
tablished. For until this is done, sta
tistical experts everywhere say that this
census of the country and the agricul-
tural, manufacturing. mineral, and other
statistics will not be entirely accurate,
This is principally due to the unorganized
force at the beginning of the taking of
each census. The expenditure Of money
for the maintenance Of permanent
bureau would not be very much more
than is the case under the present sys.
tenn.
The war department officials, while they
will not talk for publication, are con-
siderably pleased over the presidents ac-
ton In relieving Gen. Elwell 8. Otis
as commander-in-chief of the United
States forces at Manila. Had President
Mckinley taken this action six or nine
months ago a great many people here
believe that the war in the Philippines
would have been over by this time. 1t is
stated by those who claim to know the
situation that the failure Of Gen. Otis
to fully grasp the situation in the Phil
ippines has prevented the success Of the
United States troops there.
Gen. Macarthur, who succeeds Gen.
Otis, will. without doubt make very
competent commander, but 1t is believed
that because Of the mistakes made by
Otis it will be necessary for this gov
ernment to send more troops to Manila
in order to subdue the rebellious Filipinos.
This is great disappointment to the
army officials. Four weeks ago Gen.
Corbin cabled Otis to send home as fast
as possible the troops who first saw duty
at Manila. This order has never been
carried into effect, because Otis was wise
enough to see that instead of reducing
Uncle Sans forces there, it would be
necessary to have more men. Without
doubt Gen. Otis also discovered that he
had a very hard campaign ahead of him
and asked for a leave of absence in order
to be relieved of responsibilities at Man
la for an indefinite period.
1t is probable that President McKin-
ley was disappointed in Otis, and while
the claim has been made that he did
not want Otis to return to the United
States he is really gratified that the
general made this request of him. With
Gen. Macarthur in command of the
United States army at Manila and with
the new Philippines commission there to
entreat with the insurgents, the latter
can probably be brought to terms within
the next six months That Macarthur
will need more men to accomplish this
purpose is said to be true and the de-
partment is quietly making arrangements
to send more troops to Manila at an
early date.
The first session Of this congress will
end before the Philadelphia convention
assemblies in June. Whether or not
the important bills are passed before
that time, it will make no difference in
the time decided upon for this congress
slonal recess. President Mckinley, as
have frequently stated in the past, is
very anxious to get congress off his hands
before the national presidential and con-
gressional campaigns here are fully under
way. In this endeavor he Is having
almost the united support of Republi-
cans in both houses.
The Democrats, 1t might also be stated,
are anxious to get away, though they
may endeayor to delay the time of TAX
ing the recess until just before the as
sembling of the Democratic national
delegates at Kansas City. July T. If,
however, they see little gain in trying to
do this they will not force the fighting
because the Republicans can bring about
adjournment If they are compelled to
permit some Of the appropriation bills to
go over until next winter. This they
undoubtedly will do If they are forced by
the Democrats and Populists. There
are many important measures certain to
be side-tracked in any event. In the list
of bills likely to be carried over until
next winter the most important are the
Nicaraguan canal bill, the pure food bill,
the river and harbor bill, measures pro-
viding for the election of senator's by di-
rect vote Of the people, and, perhaps, the
national shipping subsidy bill
Senator Hanna privately announced
that he is satisfied adjournment can be
had as early as June, but, he estimates.
in making this statement that all the
important legislation cannot be passed
before that time.
j. S. Van Antwerp.