The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-03-23
QUEER THINGS DONE
Keenan, Tells About COnten-
tons Among the Great.
USUALLY LITTLE THINGS
Cause Friction Between the
Houses Of Congress.
USUALLY LITTLE THINGS

washington, March ----1ns Passing OF
the Census Bill illustrates forcibIy what it
IS possible for a conference committee 10
do. a conference comittee is constituted
from members Of Congress ana senator's
as the name implies 10 harmonic differ
ences between the House and senator or
any matter OF legislation. For example,
The House passed permanent Census
bHL Il went to the senate where Il was
amended Acouference committee vas
named. The committee may have recon-
mended any ere Of three things
/ That the senate reeede from its
amendulerts-
. That the house acede to the senate
Amendments
8. That there be concessions and acces-
sIous On the part Of both senate and the
house
When a conference committee caches
an agreement the differences are usually
small and wei defined 50 that q mere
statement q the conferees renders every
thing clear and On this statement the
report IS accepted CT rejected. The Cen
sus bill contained section CNo. y which
IL passed both the house ard senate pro
vided that az the passage OF the Get al
employees Of the census bureau should be
placed in the classified service. While the
ill vas amended in minor provisions sec
eion was changed only by excepting
unskiled Iaborers from its provisions. The
conference committee recast section 5 so
that IL provided that al employees who
may be appointed 70 the permanent cen
SIS bureau provided for in the bin are
thereby placed under the provisions Of the
classified civil service law. Originally the
BIN classified some zoe clerks; as II came
from the conference il may classify some
500 clerks. The conferees stated that no
substantial change had been made and
the bill passed Neither the senate nor
the house realized when voting on the
measure how radically section had been
changed Both houses were mislcd By
the statement OF the conference commit
tee. The committee was charged By Mr.
Sims. OF Tennessee. with having inten-
tionally uisled the house. The exolana-
ton was made that the conSerees had
discovered a decision By the supreme
court 10 the effect that all the present
appointments in the census bureau hav-
ing been made by the director were on
Is involved and that section could be
made 10 conform 10 the decision Of pro
i~dilg that the clerks be appointed by the
director and confirmed by the head OF
the department 70 which the census bu-
reau belonged. This was accepted as ex-
honorating the committee from intention
ally misleading the house The fact re-
mains that the house and senate were
misled and did not understand what they
We're voting for. Distrust OF conference
committees. This incident illustrates what
misht happen in conferees are allowed 70
make changes in the text OF q bin and
their mere statement accepted ii place OF
reading the text. IN this case the Ian
Elage is noe what congress desired-not
what was intended 10 be put into the law.
What can De done about it, The Presi-
cent has placed a construction On the
language q the bin which admits the
director Of the census IN making APPOINT
ments as Of the 1st Of july 1e01 Mem
bers Of Congress have offered resolutions
declaring the intention Of congress 10 be
thar all the present force should he ap-
pointed and brought under the protection
OF the classified service. II is hardly like
~ any construction Of a law can be de-
clared by q formal resolution Of congress
VINO passed The law. The census commit /
tee decided By a vote Of 5 70 70 reenact
section so IS 70 require all the clerks
70 be appointed and protected by the civil
service law This VIII reach the difficulty
but the President VIII veto this and il VIII
require two-thirds vot 20 PASS e over
his veto It is not likely 70 make an issue
with the President and especially the
Republicans would hesitate On 50 small
q matter as this census bin % provoke a !
alarriei with Republican administration .
This is one - the most annoying episodes +
growing out Of law changed by a confer
once committee in The history OF con (
srass- II is a safe prediction 70 say that
many day viii 20 by before a statement +
q conference committee VIII l'e IN
observed or accepted ca any important +
matter.