The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-02-16
THE CENSUS BUREAU
ALL PRESENT EMPLOYEES TO GET
CIVIL SERVICE BENEFITS.
MUCH TALK BY SENATORS.
QUESTION OF POLITICAL PAP CUTS
A FIGURE.

Mr.. Lodge Opposed This Wholesale
Gratusty To Present Employees hut
Was Defeated-QuestionO of Cotton
statistics Causes DiscussiOn--AI-
Iison Tried 10 Have Them Left To
Agricultural Department But
Southern Senator'S Objected.
Washington, Feb. 15.-During the
entire session of to-day the Senate had
under consideration the bill establish
ing permanent census bureau. 1t was
not completed but an agreement was
reached to take 1T up again imme-
diately after the executive session that
is to be held on Monday next for the
consideration of the Danish treaty.
The great contest Of the day, OF
course, was over the transfer to the
classified service of the employees of the
census office, who are to be retained in
the permanent establishment Ii in
volved the entire civil service question,
and the debate covered much of the
ground that heretofore had been gone
over in congressional debates.
The pending amendment to the bill
was that Of Mr. Lodge. to amend the
paragraph relating to the retention of
employees so that IT would read that
all employees of the 18th census office at
the date of the passage of this act who
are retained in the employ of the per-
manent census bureau above the grade
OF skilled labor shall be, and they are
hereby placed without further exami-
nation under the provisions of the civil
service act
In support of his amendment, Mr.
Lodge argued that II all the persons
at present in the employ of the Census
Office should be placed arbitrarily
within the classified service without
further examination it would work
hardship upon those who had taken
civil service examination. and were on
the eligible list
In response to sugges tion, Mr.
Lodge said 1t was perfectly evident
from the profound interest in this
measure both in the Senate and in the
House that the census employees had
good deal of political influence.
During the discussion Mr. TiIlman
said, laughingly, that some senators
| and representatives would get their
full share of appointments. He was
| sure the Senator from Massachusetts
(Mr LODGE would. and he believed he
himself would.
Il hope So" replied Mr.. Lodge in the
same vein. mo two senators are more
deserving" Gaughter)
Il am glad, of course" said Mr.
Tillman, ito be in such good company
but l am afraid that when the shar-
ing up comes it will not be even"
Mr. Gallinger gave notice of an
amendment, declaring that persons
who had served as soldiers in any war
in which the United States has en-
gagged and the widows of such soldiers
shall have preference in the matter Of
certiication.
Mr.. Scott said he was opposed to the
civil service system from start TO
finish," and that the whole system was
wrong in operation and in principle.
Very soon, he thought, people in the
classified service would control the
government.
Mr. Lodges amendment then was
rejected without division.
Mr. Gallinger then offered his
amendment 1t was accepted by Mr..
Quarles, in charge of the bill, and It
was adopted.
TiIimnn's Point of Order.
Many Intellectual efforts We're made
to amend section 5. the confusion aris-
Ing from the attempts becoming SO
amusing that Mr. Tillman facetiously
suggested the point of order to the
chalr, that ''the Senate is so rnuddlerl
that 1t could not pass a civil service
examination and members thereof
would not be eligible to reelection"
The chair is in doubt" said the
president pro tenn, Mr.. Frye "and will
have to submit the question to the
Senate" Oaughter)
Finally on motion of Mr. McCor,as
the first paragraph of Section 8. was
so amended as to read:
That all employees of the census Of
hce, except unskilled laborers, at the
date OF the passage Of this act shall
be. and they are hereby placed with
out turther examination, under the
provisions of the Civil Service act.
On motion of Mr.. Teller the bill was
amended so as TO provide an assistant
to the director Of the census at a SAL
airy OF $4,000 per annum. and further
that the terms of appointment of both
the director and assistant director
should be four wears.
Mr. Dubois offered an amendment
providing that the director of the CEN
sus shall collect annually Statistics
concerning the business of trusts or In
dustrial combinations
The amendment was rejected IL to sf.
the vote being along strict party lines
except that Mr.. McEnery (Democrat)
voted against the amendment.
TO Knock Out Cotton Statistics
Mr.. Allison offered another amend
ment eliminating the provision for the
collection Of statistics concerning the
production Of cotton as returned By the
ginners He maintained that cotton
statistics now were collected by the
Agricultural Department and the sta
tistles collected by the census Office
would be a duplication.
Mr.. Tillman opposed the amendment
vigorously. lie held that statistics OF
the cotton production now collected
were not accurate" gtIesswori<''
I'm many instances. BY obtaining the
statistics from the ginners. he contend-
ed. II would practically be possible to
know by Christmas each year Just
what the cotton production for the year
was. He urged that either this pro-
vision be left in the bin or that "a sur
fhclent sum be given 20 the Secretary
of Agriculture 10 enable him 20 take
the statistics Of cotton production
MI. Allison replied that the Secretary
Of Agriculture now collected cotton sta
tistics from the ginnors and from every
collateral correct source. and he pre-
scented letter from the Secretary %
that effect
M. Berry appealed 20 Mr. Allison 90
withrdnw the aniepdmfnL lie said u