Evening star., 1909-04-19
CHARGES FOR BONDING
Restriction in Census Appr0-
priation Bill.
LIMIT PUT ONsTHE RATES
Declared That They Must Not Ex-
ceed 81 a Thousand.
COMBINATION IS ALLEGED
Hardship in the Case Of Appointment
Clerk Merrill Causes Chairman
Tawney's Action.

| of Minnesota, chairman OF the House ap-
preparations committee. has been hunting
| for the bonding trust. with the idea OF
| putting it out of business. He struck the
first blow today, when he included in the
census appropriation bill. just introduced,
provision prohibiting the acceptance OF
bonds of surety companies by the govern
ment at the present rates. The provision
reads as follows:
That hereafter no bond shall be ac-
cepted from any surety or bonding COM
pany by the United States for any officer
or employe which shall cost in excess of
the rates of premium charged for such
bonds prior to January l, 1907.
| Prior to the first of this year the rate
for bonding of government employees by
the various surety companies averaged
about S1.03 a thousand, as maximum,
with about 75 cents a thousand on bonds
Of large amounts. On the first OF the
year this rate was raised to So a thousand.
1t is claimed that this was done by
agreement and that the various surety
companies. realizing they had things all
their own way. so far as the bonding OF
government employees was concerned, re-
solved to maintain this trebled rate. Mr.
TaWney and other House and Senate
| leaders, appreciating the increased cost
annually that the trebled rates would
impose upon the government. cast around
for some method of putting the surety
companies back on the basis, of the old
rates Mr.. Tawney framed the pro-
vision above quoted. and he thinks 1t
will be adopted and will do the trick.
The Tawney provision further specifies
that hereafter the L. S. shall not pay
furnishing bond required by law or 9TH
erwise of any officer CT employe of the
United States"
A Case Of Injustice.
While there have been many complaints
by bonded government employees of the
hardships caused to them by the trebled
rates of the bonding companies since the
first of the year. the case that attracted
Mr. Tawney's attention and resulted in
the inclusion of the mentioned provision in
the census appropriation bill. was that Of
Thomas 8. Merrill. appointed clerk and
disbursing officer of the census office.
During the taking of the last census
the disbursing officer received 5000 a
year. Mr.. Merrill receives $500, but
was included in the census bill as framed
In the House at $1,000 a year. his bond
at the same time being increased from
5000 to $125.OW. In conference the ad-
ditional $500 given him in the House was
chopped off. but. the increased bond re-
mained, which action under the trebled
rates of the bonding companies. had the
practical effect of reducing his salary
from $500 to 81 200. or $500 year.
Mr.. Tawney, appreciating the injustice
Of this, has conferred with the Senate and
House leaders and has been promised that
the injustice will be remedied. At the
same time he thought the opportunity
was ripe to take up the question of the
whole bonding business.
Figures prepared and submitted to him
indicate that the number of government
employees under bond has unnecessarily
increased by more than so per cent in
the last five or six years.
Fight Over Census Bill.
The census appropriation bill introduced
today. and which carries total of &c.,
OOU, 600 for that purpose, also authorizes
the director of the census to designate
three commissioners to represent the
United States in the International COM
mission for the revision of the classifica-
tion of diseases and causes of death,
called by the government Of France to
meet in Paris in July. 1900. Not more
The census bill also appropriates for
deficiency Of $4,000 under the Nation
al Training School for Boys, 100 for
| rent Of additional building by the De-
partment Of Justice, $4,000 to supply a
deficiency in the appropriation for pay
ment of assistants to the Attorney Gen
eral in special cases, $1,000 for repairs
of public buildingsc under the Treasury
/ Department and $4,000 for steel shelv-
ing for the House library in the House
office building.
| Fight Over Census Bill.
| When the House met this morning Rep.
resentative Crumpacker of Indiana. chair
man of the census committee, asked tina
the report of the Senate and House con.
ferees on the census bill be printed. This
| was agreed to. and the bill will be taker
up Thursday. when the House meet.
again under the special rule adopted
after the tariff bill was sent to the
| Senate.
Mr.. Crumpacker is going to have some
difficulty In securing the adoption by the
House of the census bill in it's presen,
FORM AS passed by the House. the bill
fixed a minimum salary of 5000 a yea.
for the lowest grade of census employee
but in the Senate this was increased t1
$720 a year. which advanced the tota
cost per annum. about 100000. Yet the
Senate declined to stand for increases OF
a number of high officials of the censu.
Office. statsticians. chiefs Of division anC
the like.
For this reason, lively fight on thu
bill is expected. and it is probable thai
the report may he recommitted to the con
ferees with instructions.