Evening star., 1902-03-12
ABSOLvES CONFEREES
Mr.Sims Accepts Explanation
Regarding Census Bill.
SAYS HE WAS MISLED
ADMITS THAT 1T WAS NOT DONE
WITH INTENTION.
Explanation by Mr.. Crumpacker-
Messrs. McCumber and Depew
Speak on the Shipping Bill.

Speak on the Shipping Bill.
The first hour in the House Of Represen-
tatives today was spent in discussion Of
section of the permanent census bill, be-
ing the provision covering the civil service
feature of that law. The House went into
committee of the whole without prelim-
mary business to consider the post office
appropriation bill.
Mr.. Sims Tenn.) was recognized as the
first speaker. and stated preliminary to
his remarks that as he was cut off on
point of order Tuesday when he endeavored
20 show that the House was misled by the
conference committee on the census BILL
lie would now endeayor to complete what
ne had then to say. Mr.. Sims reviewed the
census legislation from the first, referring
% the instructions the House had given
he special committee census when it
.ejected the first bill for permanent CEN
sus, to bring in a measure which would
cover the clerks of that office under the
civil service law The committee had COM
blied with these Instructions, the House
lad passed the bill and the Senate follow
d. The Senate had amended section only
to a very slight degree, and making it
even stronger than the House provision
The bin went to conference, and the con-
ference report was adopted. Mr.. Sims
stated that when the conference report was
brought in the House had been considering
'ension bills and that but few members
were in their places. The statement cover
ing the report had been read and he quoted
from this statement. which stated that the
conference report was substantially the
bill as it passed the House. He said Mr.
Hopkins had been asked whether there
were any changes in section 5, and his re-
ply had been that the changes made were
only in phraseology and that the meaning
Of the section stood as it had passed the
House. Mr.. Sims said that when he read
the section over the next day and also the
construction the President had placed on
1t he saw that it was not at all the same
or capable of being construed the same as
1t originally passed the House or the Sem
ate. The conference committee. he de-
clared. had struck out the whole section
and substituted an entirely new one.
Expulsion Hinted At.
At this point Mr.. Sims was interrupted by
Mr.. Tolbert who wanted to know what the
House could do inasmuch the bill had
been passed and signed.
Mr.. Sims reply was that he did not like
to say. inasmuch as Mr.. Hopkins chair
man of the conference committee. was
absent
When pressed further for an answer he
declared that If the House had been will
fully deceived by the conference committee
It certainly had power to expel those who
had deceived it. The wrong accomplished,
he said. was not comparable to the act OF
deception practiced, which, he declared, in
volved the integrity of the House.
Mr.. Loud here came to the defense of
Mr.. Hopkins and stated that it was possible
that the chairman of the committee might
have been deceived himself and might
have been sincere in his statement that the
section had not been changed, particularly
as to its effectiveness. He declared that
the conferees on the census bill deserved
had accomplished. Congress- said he
attempted to steal something and the con-
ferees prevented it."
II take issue with the gentleman" re-
tion openly. Stealing is done secretly after
the manner In which this bunco game was
wofked-' (Applause)
= Mr.. crumpackers Explanation.
Mr. Crumpacker Of Indiana. who was
appointed yesterday a member Of a SUBJ
committee from the census committee to
consider the pending resolutions on this
subject. explained to the House partially
how this section happened to be changed
In conference. He indicated that the ques-
tion had been raised by the Senate con-
terees on the bill that employees appointed
by the director Of the census and not con-
firmed by the Secretary Of the Interior
were not legally appointed. that the Sec
ton had been changed authorizing the re-
appointment Of those employees by the Sec
retary of the Interior in order to cover
this point, and that the intention Of the
conferees was to have all of the employees
OF the office so reappointed Continuing
Mr.. Crumpacker said that three years ago
the Attorney General had ruled that it was
not necessary to have census Office en-
pioyes confirmed by the Secretary OF the
Interior. The Supreme Court, however,
had decided that employees appointed by q
subordinate officer and not confirmed by
the heads Of departments were not legally
appointed. On top Of this, he said, there
had been issued an executive order which
prohibited the Secretary of the Interior
from confirming census Office employees un-
I'll the LIST day Of July next
MIR. Crumpacker remarked that this was
the present situation He was free to say
that he did not believe any member on the
conference committee for moment
thought that any other construction could
be placed on section than that all of the
employees In the Office at the time the bill
was signed would be reappointed, included
under the civil service and thus become
elegible for transfer to other departments
He declared that the construction the At
torney General had placed on the section
mentioning, incidentally, that 1t had taken
that official three days to form his opinion
was not the construction held by the mem
bers of Congress
Continuing. Mr.. Sims maintained his first
proposition that the House had been mis-
hear an explanation from Mr. Hopkins the
chairman OF the committee.
Mann and Sims in Colloouy.
Mr.. Mann of Illinois got into the collo-
guy with Mr.. Sims and maintained that
the bill as 1t went to President Roosevelt
was the only way in which 1t would ever
have become law. 1t was his belief that
the President would never sign a bill to
place the present number Of census en-
ployes in the permanent service Of the
government.
Mr. 0rifith's Statement.
Mr.. Griffith Und) who was one Of the
conferees on the BILL called attention to
three decisions OF the Supreme Court
which would have nullifed section 8 as
agreed to by the House and Senate Under
the circumstances. therefore, he said, 1t
was the duty Of the conferees to perfect
the section 80 as to reflect the legislative
VIII and intent. The conferees. he said,
thought they were doing SO, and for him
sell. he said, 1t was far from his purpose
eitner To deceive or mslead the House
MI Sims accepted Mr.. Grifhth's expIana-
tion and acquitted him and his colleaRues
OF the deliberate purpose to deceive. but
said the effect had been to mislead the
House. '"e
THE SENATE.
SooE after the Senate convened toSoy