The times., 1901-06-24
BLAME LAID TO PATRONAGE
The Civil Service Reform League
on the Maryland Census.
4 Committee Selected to Make an In
NestiEati0n Into Alleged Frauds
Declares That the system of MAX
ing Appointments Is mt Fault.


NEW YORK. June 28.-The committee
of the National Civil Service Reform
League appointed to Investigate the con-
ditlon of the Federal civil service. has
made the following report in regard to
certain alleged frauds in the enumera-
tion of Inhabitants under the last cen
sus. This committee consists of William
Dudley Foulke. Richard Henry Dana,
William A Aiken, Charles Richardson,
and George AIcAneny.
The report in part states:
THE present Director OF the Census,
Mr.. w. f. Merriam, is Il man cf undoubt-
ed capacity and energy, Who has sue
ceeded in avoiding many Of the evils
which infected the administration of the
Census Bureau under his predecessor 1t
is fair to him to state that he IS in no re-
spcet personally responsible for the cor
Tupt practices detailed in this report, but
that he has shown a commendable eager
ness in urging the prosecution of Offend
ers and securing the punishment of the
guilty.
''But the essential vice of the system
still remains. The law provides that the
enumeration of inhabitants shall be made
by enumerators selected by the supervis-
ors of the various census districts.
and these supervisors themselves are
appointed by the President, without
any requirement of competitive ex-
animation or promotion, or any meth
Cd of securing nom partisan appoint
ments. The result is that these super
visors are appointed, and the enumerators
under them are selected, almost entirely.
from the party in power (often through
its local orSanization), a few exceptions,
amounting to about one-siXth of the
whole number being made in the South
in districts where it was found difficult
to secure efficient supervisors from that
party. These appointments being politi-
cal. it followed inevitably that they were
made by the President upon the recon-
mendation of Congressman, and it was
also inevitable that the appointees should
use the power given to them for the
benefit not merely Of the Republican
party. but sometimes. also, of the par
ticular Congressman who secured their
appointment.
The enumeration made in the Congress
sionaI district represented by the Hon.
Sydney E. Mudd, Republican Represen-
tative from Maryland, furnishes a con-
spicuous instance of this. Mr. Mudd Sc
cured the appointment of William T. S.
Rollins as supervisor for the Third Mary
land district, which includes the counties
of ST. Mary, Charles. Calvert, Anne Arun-
del. and others, all within Mr. Mudd's
Congressional district
THE CENSUS IN MARYLAND.
THE constitution of Maryland provides
that any county containing a population
of less than 1900 shall have two members
in the House of Delegates. If the county
contains a population between 1900 and
5000 it is to have three members: if be-
tween 2S,000 and 10000, four members; if
between 10000 and 5000, five members
The apportionment is to be made upon the
basis Of the Federal Census, unless a
State census is taken. From these pro-
visions of the constitution, it was mani
festly to the interest not only of the Re
publican party, but of Mr.. Mudd per-
sOnally-the leader of that party in his
district-to have the representation of all
the counties which were reliably or prob
ably Republican. as large as possible. If
he could secure additional Republican
of the House of Delegates from
the several counties in his district he
would acquire additional influence in the
MARYLAND Legislature, both in the Re
publican caucus and in the final vote
whereby a United States Senator should
be chosen to succeed Senator Wellington,
at the coming election, next fall.
The three counties. St Mary. Charles,
and Anne Arundel. offered an opportunity
for q gain in the number of delegates. The |
first two are Republican counties. and in |
anne Arundel there is reasonable prob /
aDillty OF RepuOllcan success. In st. (
Mary County, the census Of 1880 showed !
a population of 1884: the census of 1899 I
a population Of 15.Sl9. 1t was assumed
that the census of 1880 was defective, ow-
ing TO the fact that the enumerators were
required TO make enquiries upon such a
large number Df subjects that in the rural {
districts their work did not pay, and il 1
was to some extent neglected. There WAS
therefore the sugges lion OF probability }
that the population Of St. Mary County
was not much under 5000. In Charles /
County the census of 1880 showed q DOD- /
ulation Of 1858; the census of 1893 a pop /
ulation Of l5.l9l For similar reasons it /
seemed likely that the population OF
Iharles county was very close to the 1S.- |
~ limit In Anne Arundel the census of I
1850 showed d population Of 2S.536; the cen /
sus OF 1890 4 population of 81 ga Ii was |
possible that Anne Arundel County might /
come very near the 1000 limit
Accordingly. Il so happened that after /
the population iE these counties was an |
about the middle of last Decem- /
ber, 1t was found that the enumeration in /
ST. Mary County showed IS l56 inhabi- ,
-ants. in Charles County, 1856 inhabitants /
and in Anne Arundel County 0Ol8 There /
was thus gain Of one member IN the /
OF each Of the three coun-
lies IN the House of Delegates.
GOVERNOR SMITH ACTS.
Suspicion was naturally aroused, es-
1ecially by the fact that in other counties !
N the district of Mr. Mudd. such as Cal
1ert County. which contained population
Of $500 ana WAS thus hopelessly within
he 1900 limit. there was no great growth
IN the population.
In the carly part of February. Gov
-rn0r Smith Of MARYLAND igsIIad a ttro-
,Iamation calling for an extra session of
10 amend the ballot law, ana to provide
-or State census on account Of the belief 1
that there were frauds or errors in the
Federal enumeration. He addressed a let
ter to the Director of the Census, ask
ing what would be the cost of copies of
The names enumerated in six or eight |
counties, including those above named.
W hlle the correspondence was pending |
Census was asked by certain prominent |
Maryland Republicans. to make a thor |
juSh investigation of the enumeration in
-leSe counties, they believing that the
.haTges Of fraud were unfOunded. Ii was !
lecided To begin in St Mary County, |
md the Director Of the Census called |
Ipon Mr.. Sloane, Chief OF the Geograph-
RS DIVISION, TO begin an investigation. |
"On February p the investigation COM |
nenccd at Leonardtown, the county seat
# st. Mary County. Representative Mudd,
IN learning Of this. requested Of Mr..
sloane lthe Director of the Census being |
bsen) that Mr.. Guernsey, the officer in
harge of the enquiry should be instruct
d 10 confer with Joseph II. Ching, of
-eonardtown. Accordingly, Mr. Sloane,
N the 18th, wrote a letter TO Mr. Guern-
ey To that effect. When Guernsey came
MT OF the postoffice at LeonardtOwn with
ne letter. Mr.. Ching asked him, Did
hey not tell you at the office TO confer
With meY
Guernsey now went over the schedules