Evening star., 1902-03-18

shall be organized by the director Of the
census. Section provides that. with your
appoint into the permanent census force in
two ways: In the first place. from the
present employees of the census Office. and
IN the second place all new appointments to
De MADE IN accordance with the civil SER
vice law.
After any of the present employees Of the
census office have been appointed upon the
permanent force they become part of the
CLASSIFIED service. l have been over these
two sections with the Attorney General.
and their construction seems to be perfectly
clear You will please inform the director
OF the census that his office will continue
to be administered as 1t has been admin
istered until the 1st of July. On that day
ne Will. with your permission, appoint such
members OF the present force under him
will constitute the permanent census force,
appointing only so many as are to be per-
manent1y employed. After that date ali
appointments will be made under the reg
ulations of the civil service act.
Very truly. yours.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Hon. E. A Hitchcock. Secretary of the
Interior.
Construction Disputed.
1T is understood that the Interpretation
placed upon the act was besed upon
verbal opinion rendered by the Attorney
General. In the absence Of the specific in
structions contained in the letter to the
Secretary Of the Interior, March g. 1902. it
Is believed that the director of the census
would have submitted to the Secretary OF
the Interior a list Of the employees of the
census Office on March 6, the date of the
passage Of the act. and such employees
would, upon the approval Of the list by the
Secretary OF the Interior, have been placed
in the classified service, and would have
thus been eligible for transfer to other de-
partments. Your committee are of the opin-
ion that this was expected by the members
of the conference committee when the con-
ference report was submitted to the House.
Your committee believe that the construc-
ton placed by the Attorney General upon
the act approved March Il, 19u2, does not
carry out the wishes of the House as ex-
pressed in the motion to recommit House
bill No. 1913, on January 10, 1907, or in
House bill No. 1O3Os. as passed by the
House January 30, 1902 and are therefore
constrained to report the substitute now
favorably recommended by a majority of
the committee.
1T is conspicuous fact that the clerks
in the census office, appointed from all sec
tons of the country, have rendered faith
full, honorable and efficient service and are
experienced in the work demanded in gov
ernment departments, and would if trans
ferred to other branches of the government
perform valuable service.
Ever since the passage of the civil ser
vice act of 1888 large numbers of govern
embodied in the classified service without
detriment to the merit system, and your
committee believe that, in view Of the fact
that a large number Of states have never
received their full quota of appointments
under the civil service apportionment the
census clerks should be made eligible for
transfer and appointment
IF this is done, the states which have
not received their quota of appointments
would thus secure more equitable treat
ment, and for the reason outlined above
your committee recommend that the sub
stitute bill herewith reported do pass"
Views of the Minority.
THE undersigned members of the select
committee on the census do not concur In
the recommendations contained in the fore
going report"
c. A. RUSSELL.
T.. D. CRUMPACKER.
j. A. HUGHES.
+. NJ. GRIFFITH.'