Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-15
ON ANXIOUS BENCH.
A Hundred People to Be
Thrown Out.
FORGE TO BE REDUCED
CENSUS BUREAU CLERKS TO BE
DISMISSED.
In Accordance With Terms of the Ap-
preparation Act-Mr. North to Take
Charge in June.
FORGE TO BE REDUCED

One hundred census Office clerks will lose
their positions before the beginning of the
next fiscal year, July 1. This action is
made necessary by reason Of the specific
character of the appropriation for the sup
port of the bureau for the next year.
Mr. North. who will take charge of the
Office as director Immediately after the re-
turn of President Roosevelt to Washington,
stated today that the number of employees
of the Office was limited by the terms of
the appropriation act, and that there was
no other way than to comply with those
terms.
An Inevitable Loss.
1--WE are very sorry to lose any Of our
force" he remarked to a Star reporter,
but there seems no other way"
Mr.. North believes that the work of the
bureau can be carried along unimpaired
with the smaller force provided during the
next year: The only additional work to
be undertaken is the tabulation of the re-
turns of the Philippine census, and under
a paragraph in the general deficiency bill
the balance of an emergency fund amount
ing to $35O,O0O is made available for the
employment temporarily of former census
Office clerks to assist in this WORK.
Director Merriam is expected to return
to Washington shortly and close up his
connection with the office prepatory TO
finally stepping out upon the imitation OF
Mr.. North director in the early part or
June. The work of selecting the clerks who
will have to go will then be taken up. The
force now numbers something over I00.
The method which will be used in the Sc
lection of the permanent force has not yet
been defined. but it is likely that the state
of the work on which the clerks are en-
ployed will govern largely In this matter
Clerks Provided by Law.
Il
for in each class may be seen by the terms
of the appropriation, which is as follows:
For director, $1,000; four chief statisu-
clans, $500 each; chief clerk, $500; dis
bursting clerk $500; stenographer, 81 800;
four expert chiefs of division, 81 800 each;
clerks, class three; 10 clerks, class two;
249 clerks, class one; 2O4 clerks, LOCO each;
80 copyists, $500 each; clerk, s720; skill
ed laborers $1,000 each: 1 skilled laborer.
$500; skilled laborer $40; skilled laborer,
$3.50; l skilled laborer, s720; 10 watchmen,
s720 each; messengers. $40 each; IL as
sistant messengers, $72O each; 15 unskilled
laborers, S720 each; 30 charwomen, $24O
each; in all S5,S6O.
There seems some doubt as to Wnether
the emergency fund provided may not be
used to increase this specific force. The
section making the appropriation seems
capable of more than one construction. 1t
follows:
THE unexpended balance of the census
appropriation which by the proviso in the
act approved June 49, 1902. entitled An act
making appropriations for sundry civil eX-
penses of the government for the fiscal year
ending June 80. 1903. and for other pur-
poses which was reappropriated and made
available for continuing the work of taking
the twelfth census. and for all expenses
arising under and authorized by the act to
provide for the permanent census office. ap-
proved March g. 1902. be. and the same is
hereby made available for the purposes in
dicated in said proviso during the fiscal
year. 1904: and that said balance, or so
much thereof as may be needed for the
purpose. be. and the same is hereby, also
made available for such expenditures as
may become necessary in complying with
the proclamation of the President, dated
September 30. 1892, pursuant to the prOvi-
sons of section of the act of July i.
1902. entitled An act Temporarily to pro-
vide for the administration of the affairs
of civil government in the Philippine Is
lands, and for other purposes, including the
cost of temporarily employing such num-
Der of persons may be necessary for the
performance of said work. at a compensa-
ton not to exceed that which has hereto
fore been paid employees in the census office
for doing similar work. such persons to be
selected and employed by the director at
such tes and for such periods of time as
he may deem proper