The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-20

to him through the attorney general.
but really from the president himself.
The president held that. as formal no
tice seemed not to have been given the
fencers. their cases should go over at
least until the September term. pend
ing which they would have a chance to
pull down their fences. Mr.. Bone was
ready at all times to press these cases,
had he not been instructed otherwise.
The statehood proposition is still in
the air. The chances are against the
admission of Oklahoma and Indian
territory as single state at TINS ses-
sion. The cOnferees are still meeting
almost daily, but there is little pros
pect of their agreement on q basis that
will admit Oklahoma as a state. The
blame can not help but fall, in the end,
If there be no statehood, upon the five
mem bers from Kansas and the five
from Missouri, who would have made
a sufficient number. with the inSur
gents" so-called. and the Democrats. to
have defeated the rule to send the bill
to conference as it passed the senate,
and to have accepted the senate
amendm ents which struck out refer
ence to Arizona and New Mexico. If
Campbell. Murdoch, Curtis. Miller and
Bowersock had Joined with five Mis-
sourians, the matter would have been
settled and Oklahoma admitted, or
else checked up square to "Uncle joe
Cannon, the speaker, and the pressure
would have been so great he would
have had to yield in the end. or bear
the entire brunt of the failure of the
legislation. AS it is move the chances
are that the blame must lie on the
shoulders of the whole house-386 men
instead of upon one man, the
speaker.
There is no prospect that congress
will amend the census act so as to in
ciude inquiry into Insurance subjects,
life, fire, or marine
Senator Long, as chairman of the
senate committee on the census. has
made a report to the senate from his
committee and presented a bill to make
amendments in the present census law,
but not as to including Insurance.
The house of representatives passed
such a bill. some time since. but the
senate committee considers that to per
NIT the bureau of the census to make
inquiry into the subject would tend to
commit the government to the future
control or supervision of the entige sEo7
ject of insurance. which is not deemed
wise at this time. at least.
The bill reported by Senator Long
does permit. however. the bureau of
the census to take statistics in relation
to savings banks. These will be taken
by the special agents of the bureau as
they travel about the country, but
mainly will embrace a compilation of
the annual reports of the bank COM
nissioners of the various states. The
figures compiled viii be interesting, and
the information will be reliable and use
full.
The bill also includes Investigations
into the field of crime. The bureau of
the census is about to engage in taking
statistics as to marriage and divorce;
and it is estimated that at the same
time the special agents are examining
the records as to this subject. figures
he fulr ri 70 a nd
conviction. These will be compiled and
tabulated and included in reports from
time to time.
Another important field added to the
bureau of the census is in regard to
fish and the fish industry. Heretofore
such reports as have been compiled
by the bureau Of fisheries included
data pertaining to the kind of fish. and
their propagation. There was nothing
as to the annual product. or the value
as an industry. Under the bill as re-
ported by Senator Long. and which
viii undoubtedly become law. the
bureau of the census will cooperate
and cOllaborate with the bureau of
fisheries, and the marketable value Of
fish for each year will be observed and
reports thereon printed.
In this connection It is Of interest to
note the remark made by one of the
members of the committee on the
census at its meeting which authorized
Senator Long to make this report. The
member stated that he was told, som e
years ago. by the then very able head
Of the bureau of fisheries that the
people of the country had no knowl-
edge or appreciation Of the vastn ess
OF the fish industry. or how much of a
figure 1t played in the support of the
people of the country. He stated to
this senator that such time never
would come until, properly the bu-