The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-02-06
PRESIDENT VETOES
The CENSUS BILL
Continued from Page one.


and the Twelfth. were taken under a pro-
vision OF law excluding competition; that
is. necessitating the appointments being
made under the spells system Every
man competent 70 speak with authority
because OF his knowledge OF and Ia
milisrity with the work OF those censuses
has stated that the result vas TO pro-
duce extravaganza and disqualification
Mr.. Robert P. Porter, who took the cen
sus or 1880. states that
The efficiency OF the decennial cen
sus would be greatly improved enG Its
cost materially Iessened II It we're pro-
vided that the employees should be Sc
lectsd IN accordance with ths terms OF
the civil service law
''Mr. Frederick II. Wines, the Assis-
tant Director OF tie Census Of 1904 states
as follows:
\ mathematical scale was worked out
by which the number OF assignments
10 each Senator and Representative was
determined IN advance. so many appoint
ments to a Senator, a smaller number
10 2 Representative, half as many 70 a
Democrat as a Republican, and IN Demo-
cratic States and Congressional districts
the assignments were made TO the Re
publican State and district committees
The assignees named IN the first instance
the persons TO be examined They were
afterward furnished each with a list Of
those named who had passed" and re-
quested % name those who they desired
10 have appointed. Vacancies were filed
IN the same manner. This system was
thoroughly satisfactory 70 the majority
OF the politicians interested. though there
were a few who refused 70 have anything
10 DO with t. The effect upon the bureau
was. as may readily be imagined. thor
oughly demoTalizing.
Mr.. Carroll D. Wright, who had charge
Of the Census Bureau after the census
OF 1890 estimates that 8. 900. coo. and more
than years time, would have been
saved r the census force had been
brought into the classified service, and
ADDS:
one-third Waited.
e. I do not hesitate 20 say one-third Of
the amount expended under my own ad-
ministretion was absolutely wasted, and
wasted principally on account OF the fact
thai the ONCE was not under civil serv-
Ice rules. IN October, 1880, when
1 took charge Of the Census Office. there
was an Office force OF 1852 There had
been a constant reduction for many
months and this was KEEP. up without
cessation TIL the close OF the census.
There was never a month after October.
1888. that the clerical force reached the
number then n Office; nevertheless while
these general reductions were being made.
and IN the absence OF any necessity for
the increase 81 thu force. $50 new ap-
pOintments ,e-e made.
This. OF course, meant the destruction
OF economy and efficiency for purely
political considerations.
In view o. the temporary character OF
the work. 4 wouid be vel 70 waive the
requirements OF the civil service law as
regards geographical spportionment. but
the appOintees should be chosen By com
petitive examination from the lists pro-
vided by the Civil Service Commission.
The noucOmpetitive examination n a case
Ike this is not only vicious. but IS IN
effect fraud upon the public. No es-
sential change IS efected by providing
that II be conducted by the Civil Service
Commission. and 10 provide that the en-
plOyes shall be selected without regard 10
political party affiliations IS empty and
misleading, unless, az the same time, Il
which Il IS possible 70 make Il effective,
that IS, By providing that the examina-
ton shall be made competitive
EfEht-hOur law.
7 also recommend that Il provision IS
made that the census printing work may
be done outside the Government Printing
Office. Il shaI be explicitly provided that
the government authorities shall see that
the eight-hOur law is applied IN effective
fashion to these outside Offices.
Outside OF these matters, I believe that
the bin IS. on the whole. satisfactory,
ard represents an Improvement upon
previous legislation on the subject But
Il Is OF vital consequence that We should
not once again permit the usefulness OF
this great decennisl undertaking on behalf
OF the whole people 20 be marred BY per
hitting Il 10 be turned into an engine to
further the self-interest OF that small
section Of the people which makes a pro
fession OF politics. The evil effects Of the
spoils system. and Of the custom Of treat
ing appointments to the public service as
personal perquisites OF professional poll
tieians. are peculiarly evident in the case
OF a great public work Ike the taking OF
the census. 8 work which should en-
phstica4ly be done for the whole people
and with an eve single TO their interest.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT