The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-02-16
CENSUS BUREAU CLERKS
ON THE ELIGIBLE LIST

n "
placed on the eligible list, to be forced
TO take back seat by the census force
who would, under the new law, fake
precedence over them.I
For several months the removals from
the Census Office, have, been very numer-
GUS. and it was well. understood that
those who have managed to retain their
places would continue to do SO until the
bill under discussion should pass, and
their status as eligibles for appointment
IN the classified service thus permanently
liked. The temper of the Senate had been
clearly shown by its action a day or two
ago. In fixing the salary of the Director
of the Permanent Census Bureau at 1900.
in spite of efforts that were made to
place it at $4,000, which is the sum paid
to Senators and Representatives in Con-
gress.
Yesterday was a sort of half-holiday in
Washington. and the galleries were filled.
A large representation Of young women
who are Census Office clerks or who have
been or who expect to be, occupied the
ladies' gallery, and the Senators them
selves, who always get into a reckless,
good natured mood when they have to
work on Saturdays, which is not often.
were primed to do their best, which, in
this case. proved to be their worst.
Trying to Frame Amendment.
More than a dozen Senator'S. including
both Republicans and Democrats, endeav-
ored to frame an amendment that would
be certain to retain the present census
force permanently in the classified serv-
ice, and one after another they failed.
amid the laughter of their colleagues,
until finally. when it was all over and
an amendment was at length adopted, SEN
ator Bacon suggested that it would prob
ably be necessary to hire a lawyer to
hnd out whether the clerks had been
saved or discharged
Senator Lodge. the scholar of the SEN
ate. tried his hand FIRST, and at his sug-
gestion the Senate adopted an amend
ment which. II it had been allowed to
stand, might have served the purpose
Somebody feared that under it's terms en-
pioyes known as skilled iaborers'' would
be left out in the cold. So Senators For
aker. Mccomas, Spooner. Teller. Tillman,
Mallory. Burton. McCumber. and half
dozen more each tried his hand with more
or less success. Nearly all of their pro-
posed amendments were bowled out. how
ever. when just about to be adopted, be-
cause some Senator would express the
fear that it might be so construed as to
drop out some class Of employees that it
was desired to keep in.
Senator Tillman In his characteristic
way, suggested that they simply provide
for putting the whole kit and caboodle"
of the census force under the protecting
wing Of the classified service. and let Il
go at that. This is exactly what the SEN
ate was trying to do But Mr.. TiIIman's
suggestion was frowneddown as unworthy
Of the Senate. n
Senator Scott ON His Feet.
This gave Senator Scett Of West Vir-
ginia chance to denounce the civil ser
vice law, the Civil Service Commission,
and everybody connected with the cause of
civil service reform, which he said was
an outrage upon the people of the United
States. and a disgrace to the Government.
Senator Gailinger of New Hampshire
also gave voice to loud and long COM
plant that the civil service employees
from the State of New Hampshire did no
political work. and made no campaign
contributions. and-were under no obli-
cations to the Senators from that State.
They simply did their work, drew their
salaries, and were absolutely independent
No attention was paid7to Scott and TILL
man and Gallinger. however. ard with
stern faces the Senate set itself l, he
task of compiling a resolution that 5uld
say just what the Senate wanted to say.
mixed things up so that even the PRESIDE
ing Officer was unable to say where he
was at. the venerable Senator Mallory