The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-08-16
TAFT'S LETTER
IS POSITIVE
IN ITS ORDER
Thirteenth Census Will Be Un-
lucky One for Ambitious
Politicians.
SUPERVISORS MAY
GAIN NO PATRONAGE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE DETERMINED
THAT ONLY CAPABLE AND Eff
FICIENT MEN BE NAMED.
BY WILLIAM HOsTER.

Beverly, Mass, Aug. 15.-President Taft
today took the thirteenth census out Of
politics. IN a striking letter addressed
to Secretary Nagel, the president ordered
that the political activities of all cen
sus supervisors shall be limited to cast
ing a vote. Any further participation
in politics, the president declares, shall
t9e regarded as sufficient cause for inn
mediate dismissal
The rule had already been laid down
by the president that merit alone would
he considered i'll the selection OF the SUI
.perYlsOrs, one hundred and thrty-Iour
more of whom were announced today. In
political circles this was regarded IN a
more or less Pickwickian sense. But now
comes the formal order very clearly that
the thirteenth census VIII be an unlucky
one for the politicians
The actual work of collecting the cen
sus will begin on April 10 next and viii
consume about thirty days. About three
months preliminary work deVolVes upon
the supervisors, however, and there viii
be about six months Of work for them
after the enumeration has been com
pleted.
The order was issued after long con-
sideratiOn with Secretary Nagel and Post
master General Hitchcock. The president S
letter follows:
Presidents Letter.
Beverly. Mass, Aug 10. 1909.
my Dear Secretary: The taking of the
census involves the appointment of some
800 supervisors, who, in turn, are to APP
point many times that number of enum-
orators. The supervisors are given conf
plete discretion in the selection of enum-
orators respectively TO act under them.
The success Of the census viii depend
upon the efficiency and strict attention
TO duty of the supervisors and upon the
application to the business in hand.
Generally there Is supervisor Tor eacn
congressional district. 1t has generally
l. nr=H-s N.#r
means Of selecting suitable supervisors
TO consult the congressman and senators
as to competent candidates from their re-
spective districts and states.
'HThis system can easily be perverted
TO political purposes If the supervisors
are not forbidden to use it as an instru-
ment for influencing local and general
elections and primaries in the interests
of particular candidates or parties II Is
not an unreasonable requirement that any
one VINO accepts an appointment as SUI
peTvisor. Or enumerator shall during the
term of his employment and service, avoid
an active part in politics.
Instructions Positive.
7 therefore order that in the prepare
ton of regulations for the taking of the
census you and the director of the cen
sus embody therein a provision that any
supervisors or enumeratOrs who uses his
influence with his subOrdinates or col
leagues to assist any party or any can
6idate in a primary or general election
or who takes any part other than merely
. casting his vote in politics, national, state
or local, either by service upon pOlt-
zeal committee, by public addresses, by
the solicitation of votes or otherwise
shall be at once dismissed from The serv-
ice.
Il wish to make this regulation as
broad as possible and wish it enforced
without exception. 1t is Of the highest
Importance that the census should be
taken by men having culy single purpose
of reaching a just and right result and
that the large amount Of money TO b.
expended in the employment Of so vast q
machine as the census shall not be made
to serve the political purposes OF any
one.
VERY sincerely yours,
WILLIAM II. TAFT
Hon Thomas Maggie, secretary of com.
merce and labor
Supervisors Named.
Among the supervisors announced to-
day Weres
California-First district, H. r Julian
Wright; fourth, John J. Dean, sixth
Lewis Lincoln bennett; seventh, George
A Fitch.
Colorado-First district. Albert 3. Nc.
Gaffey: second, Charles r Hamlin.
IdahO-JOs. Jerrault u.
KansaS-EiTst district Reese Watkins
second. William Smith; third, Charlie:
Yeo.
vey: second. William L, Saunders; third
Joseph Albert Hayes; fourth, Philip F
BrOsa.
a. Il