Sunday morning globe., 1901-12-15

human beings iu all quarters we might say.
OF the habitable globe. The Aaskas, the
Hawaiian Islands, Porto Rico and our dis.
tant Philippine possessions require prepar
atous such as we have never been hereto
fore called upon TO provide, besides the
enormous increase which the next decade
will add to The population and wealth of
thg immediate states and contiguous terri.
tories Not even the superb organizing
force of a Merriam viii be equal to this
task ii the present census Is discontinued
or wound up like It's predecessors. And
Notwithstanding that Governor Merriam
has perfected and made every possible pro.
vision 20 aid and facilitate the work of his
successor something by the way which his
predecessor. necessarily omitted), il will be
an impossible feat for the director of the
thirteenth census TO perform the Ia, k
which Governor Merriam has so ably ac.
'complished for the obvious reasons stated
The present Director Of the Census and
his chief statisticians should be retained as
the permanent officials of the thirteenth
and succeeding census, with such staff as
the eXigencies and work cut out requires
at their hands. To do this the bureau must
be made permanent and an independent
department Of the government and its
present umbiliCal connection with the In
terror Department severed.
A few words only shall accompany this
portrait of the indefatigable and superbly
practical American who so successfully or
ganized the twelfth census and broke the
record Of all his predecessors in the time
limit and magnitude ofthe work performed
William Rush Merriam Director of the
Census, has long been prominent Repub-
lican In Minnesota and was governor of
that state from 1880 until 1893 Mr.. Merriam
is a native. of New York state, having been
born In Essex county in I8lQ. In 1861 his
parents removed to St. Paul, Mimi. and
that city has been his home ever since. He
was educated at Racine College, where he
was graduated in 1871 Entering the First
National Bank of ST.. Paul as "A clerk. he
acquired such knowledge Of the banking
business that when the Merchants Ma
tional Bank of ST. Paul was organized two
years later he was elected its cashier. In
1850 he became its vice president and two
years later was elected president position
he still holds
Alr Merriam early 100 his career took "a
lively interest iu politics. In 1852 he was
elected to the state Legislature Reelected
in 1886. he was made speaker I'm 1888 he
received the Republican nomination for
governor, and was elected by a large ma
iority. Two years later he was reelected
TO this position He is a man closely
identified with many educational and chari-
table institutions of Minnesota. and has
generously contributed from his ample
means to them all Soon after leaving col
lege he married Miss Laura Hancock
daughter Of John Hancock of Philadelphia.
and niece Of the late Major. General Win
field Scott Hancock
Director Merriam has that nervous SAN
guine temperament which when controlled
by a full intellectual development Of the
the faculties enables its possessor 20 ac-
complish the marvellous. He is red-headed,
blueeyed, and the personi6catiou of the
courteous gentleman. but above all. a keen
practical man of affairs as visitors and in.
reviewers speedily realize who are dis.
posed to trAe with his time OF indulge in
idle gossip A glance from his steel, blue
eye Is sufficient 10 admouish the most OBJ.
tuse or inveterate bore that the governor"