The Washington times., 1902-01-11
BILL FOR PERMANENT CENSUS
III BUREAU REC0MMIT'TED.

II
because it did not provide for "A plan OF
organization for a permanent bureau. II
| it is desired. but simply continued the
old Institution. with all its long list o.
| high -salaried experts. no longer needed.
AQuestion of Salary.
The salary of the Director, when his
work was the hardest, was $4,000 year,
| and now that it is comparatively easy, 1t
| is $500, said Mr.. Burkett. or from $1,000
to $500 higher than the chief OF any
other bureau of the Government The
persons most interested in making the
| bureau permanent. he said, were the Di-
rector and the experts on the salary roll.
One of the arguments was for trained
force. Experience had shown that an etti-
cicnt force could be obtained at any
time, he declared. and the work Of the
present bureau had demonstrated 1t.
Advocated the Measure.
Mr.. Crumpacker advocated the bill and
said that the President could extend the
civil service rules over the bureau and
that clerks could then be transferred to
any branch OF the classified service.
By this time the Democrats had become
aroused to their interest in the bill. They
scented the plan, as shown by several
speeches.. to throw out Democratic en-
ployes wnen the force of the bureau Is
diminished. leaving the Republicans In
office 10 be transferred under the civil
service rules.
The Democrats Ill Treated.
Mr.. Fleming said the Democrats had
not had their share of the appointments.
securing but about 800 out of the 34O0
employees. He himself had had but two
appointments. while he understood that a
r publican member from a border State.
Maryland, had sixty-two clerks accredited
to him.
Mr. Hopkins said he was prepared to
say this was not correct. Mr.. Fleming
thought the salaries during the years
when there would be little to do in the
bureau, We're too large.
The Power of Patronage.
Mr. Williams (Dem.. ILL aroused his
brethren by declaring that the power OF
patronage was having too potent an in
fluence with the Democratic leaders OF the
House and Senate. 1t was making cow
ards of them instead of leaders.
Representative Norton tDem., Ohio)
made a characteristicaily frank speech,
in which he paid his compliments to the
civil service. He said there was no use
denying the fact that the law worked to
the advantage Of the party in power. The
Democrats might as we'll take their medi-
cine. There was no use of their trying
to stretch their legs under the mahogany
of the majority
RereaI the Civil Service Law.
Personally he thought the whole civi,
service law ought to be repealed and trust
be placed in the party in power to put
competent men in office. At present it
protects men who ought not to be in Of
flee. He declared that the Democratic
party would place good men in power IF,
through the blunders of the Republicans,
it ever got back into authority"
Mr.. Gillett Rep., Mass.) threw a few
shells into the Census Bureau because of
its alleged disregard for civil service
rules, which he strongly advocated He
said it used to be that the spoils be-
,longed to the victor. Now, apparently,
they belonged to Congress.
Clerks and Influence.
Clerks we're put into the bureau, he
said, because they were the pets of mem
bers. Incompetent clerks were retained
because Congressman went to the Director
and demanded that they be kept in office
Only the clerks who have influence. he
law might be imperfect, he declared, but
it was better than the spoils system.
Mr.. Bingham tRep., Pa advocated the
bill, as did Mr.. Sulzer Dem., n. ".
~ General debate was closed by Mr.. Hop
kins. He had based has advocacy of the
bill upon what he believed to be the gen.
eral demand and great necessity of con-
Stituting a bureau to do its work in a
thorough. scientific. and economical man
ner. While the Government of the United
States had been the pioneer in providing
for the enquiries committed to the Cen
Sus Bureau. all other first-class Powers
had surpassed 1t in making the bureau a
permanent. scientific institution.
Two Amendments Submitted,
An amendment declaring that future ap-
pointments in the bureau shall be made
under the civil service law was defeated
without division. An amendment offered
by Mr.. Hemingway Rep.. Ind.). making
all the employees now in the bureau eIigi-
BILE TO appointment without further exam
ination or certifcation by the Civil Ser
vice Commission upon. the request of the
head OF any department. was adopted
without division.
Mr.. Burkett then moved that the bill
be recommtted with instructions and
upon this the vote in favor OF The propo-
sition was overwhelming. Mr. Hopkins
asked for division, but then withdrew it.
Upon demand for the. yeas and nays on
the previous question but thirty eight
members arose and the bill was sent back
to the committee.
An effort will be made to have a new
bill reported in time to save the large
force of clerks who will go out by reason
of the reduction of the force within a
short time. but it is doubtful il the new
measure can be gotten before the House
in season.