Sunday morning globe., 1901-12-15

StTNallNG ana worship lulA OF AIdNluOu@t
because on traditions they depend for the
established order of thiug- are more or
less justified or excusablein the creation Of
new functions and In radical departures
from the system of administration observed
for centuries But iu republic OF a peo-
pies form of government no such obiec-
tions lie in fact progress is as necessary to
preserve the form of administrative govern
meut iu republics as the circulation of
blood 10 preserve life.
We have been led TO thus moralize by the
efforts put forth for number of years by
the best and most experienced statistical
scientists boo the United States for a perma-
ucut Census Bureau. and the frequent at.
tempt- of the one OF the other branch of
Congress Co create the same by enactment
The history of these efforts and the uuiver.
sally well known names identified with the
movemeu. would make intensely interest
ing reading besides illustrating iu a striking
manner the logic of our opening or moral
iziug paragraph.
But space forbids any but the skeleton
epitome of such efforts embracing elaborate
reports Congressional inquiries. committee
investigations, into the merits of the propo-
siti0u the bills introduced. reported f3y0r-
ANIN hM ANIIllN AlANA". tN|I even NNHNtNl'a OH
by one or the other House Am these
would, IL c0lllted make respectable
library, and hence the impossibility in a
newspaper article of doing more than not
ing them
The proposition of establishing perml-
ment Census Bureau dates back to the
ninth census when Gen. Francis A. Walker,
In an able paper iu the QUARTERLY Jour
TH#......nrr...
showed the economy and the advantage of
such a creation.
Hon Carroll D Wright United States
Commissioner of Labor, in the POPULAR
SCIENCE MONTHLY for November, 1901.
demonstrated the wisdom of the creation.
The United States Senate February 10.
1891, passed a resolution directing the Sec
retary of the Interior 90 consider the eNpe-
diency of establishing permanent Census
Bureau
Superintendent Robert Porter Of the
eleventh census was requested to make a
report on the proposition Of a permanent
bureau This he did Sen Doc No. Fifty
second Cougressl thoroughly and exhaus-
lively A bin was introduced by Senator
Hale along The lines Of Mr.. Porter's sug.
gestious.
hearing on the subject reported a year later
iu favor of the proposition
In 1890 a bin drafted by Mr. Wright was
introduced The Senate committee heard
exhaustive reports on this measure. Again
iu Is47 the Wright bin was introduced In
the House Mr Sayers also introduced "a
bill. as did Senator Chandler in the Senate
Iu May. 1893. Senator Carter introduced a
bil and iu January 1900 Mr. Hopkins tn-
troduged Zoo the House "a bill. for the taking
of the twelfth census. and shortly after.ihe
introduced au amended bill The bill 900
the Senate. however was adopted and the
permanent feature eliminated.
It's a- stated, impossible loo au article of
even this length TO quote extracts from the
distinguished stausticiau- and economists
who with voice and pen urged Congress 100
the interests of both economy and efficiency
20 enact . permanent census measure.
However the arguments and papers then
submitted are emphasized by the develop
ment and scope which the twelfth census
has taken, 20 render the work of any yalue
corresponding to the financial expense of
its compilation.
To-day more than ever i- The necessity
Tor permanent Census Bureau made man
iiest Co even the most superficial, owing 90
the territorial additions aud increase of
population guder the Gag of the republic
Every civilized government has "a perma-
nent Census Bureau and we have found
out t1 our cost in the Behring Sea eou-
u0yersy tHlt Eugaud's bureau was pay
ing investment How any sane govern.
ment can go on decade after decade as ours
has done depending ON chance 90 pick up
when wanted economists, scientists and
7taustciau- to organize. direct and super
wise The deceuuiai census is a. marvel of ld-
minisla,ive bucket shop speculation.
That Congress authorizes the expenditure
of millions of the peoples money boo de-
cennally organizing census bureaus. with
all their necessary adiuncts .of buildings.
machinery preliminary work kindergarten
and elementary schools of instruction. ETC..
etc. to be abolished and wiped of the face
of the earth iu two or three years. the
machinery sold the buildings abandoned.
and even the results in schedules. cards
and tons of invaluable printed matter scat
tered TO the four -winds o. .heaveu. is
Issuredly material sufficient for "a tragic.
comedy by the monarchist dramatist who
seeks TO stage the evils of a peoples form
of government
Passing all this now and coming TO the
present issue, the GLOBE respectfully
directs the attention of the President and
Congress 60 the necessity of a permanent
establishment and cites only a few of the
many reasons which practical knowledge
as a former employe iu the twelfth census
brought under our personal observation.
"It has repeatedly been said that pcrma-
nent census would be am economy, and this
is true. It may De questioned whether
placing the Office ON a permanent basis
would have the effect 90 decrease the total
expenditure during the deceuuial period Il
might very well happen ON the contrary.
that Congress would deem 10 expedieut TO
require of the Office a larger amount of
statistical work in the aggregate involving
larger total outlay But there can be no
question that the results obtained would De
more nearly commensurate with their cost
or, in other words. that the government.