The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-04-28

bear from the capitol.
Mr.. North, when told that Secretary
Nagel had denied bringing charges
of immortality in the census bureau or
that he had objected to Mr.. North ap-
pearing before the congressional COM
mittees, shook his hand approvingly.
o.: was confident that no charges Of
<c3/ o,ity could be brought against
Ia. Nn.. He said he was sure that
the 3d. 1e<p aid not have objected
to his app q before the congress
stonal committees since the secretary
accompanied him when he went be-
fore the committees.
Employees Of the census bureau
were indignant over the report that
Secretary Nagel had charged there
was gross immortality in the bureau.
Few women have entered the gov
ernment service in recent years, ex-
cept through the civil service. Cen
sus bureau appointments have been
made through the civil service since
1907.
1t is known that President Taft has
had the question of Mr.. North's con-
tinuing in Office before him for sever
al weeks. The alleged insubordina-
tion of Mr.. North has been the SUBJ
ject of discussion at some of the cabi-
net meetings, it is said, and the cab
met officers generally supported Sec
retary Nagel in his contention that he
should have entire authority over the
census bureau, which is a part of his
department.
1t was said at the department of
commerce and labor yesterday that
relations between the head of the de-
partment and the director of the CEN
sus had for a long time been strained,
that the director had practically re-
fused to yield to the provisions of the
organic act creating the department
of commerce and labor and making
the census bureau one Of its parts
under the authority OF, the secretary
of commerce and labor. The director
has persisted. it is said, in proceeding
as though his was an independent
bureau.
This friction has existed ever since
the days of Secretary Cortelyou and
Director Merriman. Secretary Straus
tried to have the power of Director
North curtailed, but President Roose-
velt upheld the head of the census
bureau. Mr.. Roosevelt decided that
the director must be allowed to con-
tinue his work without interference IL
he was to get good reults. He had
in mind the defective work of the
bureau when the eleventh census was
taken, and the head of the bureau was
forced to go to the secretary Of the
interior on all occasions.
During a recent hearing on the
census bill before the senate commit
tee on census, Director North was
questioned concerning possible con-
f1icts between himself and the secre-
tary of commerce and labor. Senator
Cummins asked:
Suppose that the secretary should
not be satisfied with the list of ques-
tions that you would prepare. Has
he any power to change that list?"
Nagel's Power Defined.
"He certainly has the power to ask
me to- change it, and l certainly
would" replied Director North.
His response was interrupted by
Senator Cummins, who remarked, II
know you would do it,
The question was raised by Sena-
ter Bailey as to whether the law did
not leave the examination to the di-
rector, and Mr.. North said:
If the secretary of the department
should raise the question as to that ex-
animation, and it should be my judg-
ment that the secretary was mistak-
en- about it, l should say to him at
once, Mr.. Secretary, let us go to the
president"
THAT means simply If you should
have collision you would appeal to
the president as to whether YOU
should remain in office or not?" asked
MI. Cummins.
Undoubtedly" said Mr.. North.
Subsequent statements during the
hearing did not change this situa-
tion, and Secretary Nagel, when tes-
tifying before the committee, suggest
ed that there might be conflicts OF
authority unless the law was chang
ed.
The bill providing for taking the
thirteenth census, which was passed
by the senate and the house and is
now under consideration by con-
ference committee, gave the director
OF the census practically supreme
control over his bureau, the only ex-
ception of any note being in pro-
vision that in obtaining information
from other departments OF the gov
ernment the director should commun-
icate through the secretary of COM
merce and labor.
1t was denied yesterday in quar-
ter close to President Taft and Sec
retary Nagel that one of Mr.. Nagels
Complaints was that Director North
had been responsible for curtailine
the authority of the secretary Of
commerce and labor over the census
bureau. Attention was called to q
statement made by Secretary Nagel to
the senate committee on the census
on April 6 to the effect that he would
be satisfied If congress placed the en-
tire responsibility for taking the next
census on the director of the bureau.
Secretary Nagel said this to the COM
mittee:
HT am ofhor Of 1o,o