Evening star., 1902-01-29
PERMANENT BUREAU
Bill Reported by the House Census
Committee.
WILL Be TAKEN UP TOMORROW
Clerical Force to Be Transferred
to Classified Service.
PLAN OF ORGANIZATION

Chairman Hopkins of the House census
committee reported bill to the House of
Representatives from that committee to-
day providing for permanent census bu-
reau. After objection had been made to
his request for unanimous consent to call
the bill up for consideration tomorrow he
gave notice that the bill was privileged
measure and that he should call it up for
consideration tomorrow.
Organization of the Bureau.
The bill, which occupies seven printed
pages, first provides that the census bureau
shall be permanent office, but that the
work pertaining to the twelfth census shall
be carried on under the existing organiza-
tion until the 1st day of July, 1903, when
the permanent office shall be organized by
the director of the census
The bill then proceeds to enumerate the
officers, together with their salaries who
shall compose the force of the permanent
bureau. No assistant director is provided
for, and the salary of the director is re-
duced from the present amount of 81 800 to
$4,000. The other officers provided for are:
Three chief statisticians, to be appointed by
the director, at $1,000 each: chief clerk at
5000, who shall serve as acting director in
the absence of that official: a disbursing
clerk, who shall also act as appointment
cierh' at s-,loo. one Stenographer, at $l,51o'
three expert chiefs of division, at 81 $780,
six clerks of class three. ten clerks of class
two and such number of clerks of class one,
and of clerks, copyiSts, computerS and
skilled laborers, with salaries at the rate
of not less than $500 nor more than 81 900
per annum: messengers, assistant messen-
gers, watchmen and charwomen as may BE
necessary for the proper and prompt per-
formance of the duties required by law.
Transfer to Classified Service.
The civil service provision of the bill
reads: That all employees of the twelfth
census office at the time of the passage of
this act above the grade of skilled laborer
shall be and they are hereby placed under
the provisions of the civil service act ap-
proved January 16, 1888, and the amend
ments thereto and the rules established
Hereunder; and all new appointments in the
census office hereby created shall be made
in accordance with the requirements of the
civil service act above referred to-"
All the provisions of the act relating to
the twelfth census which are not inconsist-
ent with the present bill are continued in
force.
The bill goes into detail regarding the
work to be done by the Office. after the
completion and return Of the present emu
meration work and the work on the
schedules relating to agriculture and
manufacturing.
The director is then authorized to collect
statistics relating to special classes, in
Guiding the insane, feeble minded, deaf,
dumb and blind; to crime, pauperism and
benevolence including prisoners, paupers,
juvenile delinquents and inmates of benev-
olent and reformatory institutions; to So
cial statistics of cities; to public indebted
ness. valuation, taxation and expenditures;
n religious hn6iaS IN oh nd
power, telephone and telegraph business;
to transportation by water, express busi-
ness and street railways; to mines, mining
and minerals, and the production and value
thereof. including gold in divisions of placer
and vein and silver mines, and the num-
Der Of men employed, the average daily
wage, average working time and aggregate
earnings in the various branches and divi-
sions of the mining industry.
The director is also authorized to collect
statistics of the births and deaths in regis
tration areas for the present year and an
nually thereafter. In the year 1905 and
every ten years thereafter, manufacturing
statistics are to be collected
Statistics of cotton production are to be
collected annually and any additional spe-
cial crop information is authorized to be
made from time to time, as well as on the
subjects of manufacturing, mining, trans
portation, fisheries or any other branch Of
industry that may be required by Con-
gresS.
Employment of Special Agents.
The director is authorized to utilize the
services of special agents to collect the
statistics referred to at compensation not
to exceed SO day and expenses. The cler-
ical force of the Office is authorized to be
employed in this field work, in the discre-
ton of the director.
The printing office established in the cen
sus office is abolished by the bill, and the
equipment turned over to the government
printer
Annual Cost of Bureau.
1t Is estimated that the annual cost of
maintaining the census bureau when it is
organized under the terms of the bill will
be $4,000 The amount required to run
the office at present is 100000.
AS the Senate yesterday passed a bill
creating the department Of commerce anu
labor and placing the census bureau in that
department it is believed by members Of the
House census committee that should the
House take favorable action on the Hop
kins bill the House committee on commerce
will incorporate the measure as a reglIla-
tion of the census bureau into the Senate
hi FOR he 80