The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1909-07-21
CENSUS SUPERVISORS.
appointments to be Used as d RepubIl-
can Perquisite Letter From
Congressman Dickson.

Ir is now about settled that the
appointment Of census supervisors
and inspectors in the South will be
used BY the administration at
Washington as a political perquisite
in payment Of political debts incurr-
ed last year BY Mr.. Taft's cam
paign manager. Postmaster Hitch.
cock, while rounding up the Repub.
|lican delegates in this section for
the present occupant Of the White
House. In a letter on this subject
under date Of July 14th, Congress-
man Dickson says
will merge the answer to several
letters into one. In regard to the
question Of securing Supervisors
for the taking of the next Census,
it was a matter Of great solicitude,
not only with your own Immediate
Congressman and his colleagues
from Mississippi. but it was recog-
nized as question of prime inn
portance by Southern Democrats,
who realize in its fulIness the i'm
portance, to our section especially,
of having an accurately and correct
ly reported Census. We know that
no portion Of the Union could
profit by an inaccurate one, and we
believe that our section, the South.
ern States, would in an incalculable
measure profit as the result OF one,
which in detail delineated the
great strides in population and
which summarized accurately its
vast and as yet unknown resources.
Many of the Southern States, like
Mississippi, would, we believe, gain
seats in Congress, as result Of
this exposition of our power in in
creased population. We therefore
have intended, If left to us, to
bend our efforts toward contribu-
ting thereto, by having selected
white men, of accepted integrity
and intelligence, as Supervisors of
the work. They in turn we knew
would select those under them with
due reference to the same charac-
teristics in their equipment. This.
would have accomplished that
which partisanship can never ac-
complish, a non-political Census.
However, as you know, Mr.. North,
as alleged, was displaced for the
very reason that his aim was to
accomplish the very things herein
set forth by myself and colleagues.
Mr.. Durand, his successor, was ap-
pointed. presumably, for the very
oppasite reason, i. es he was sus-
ceptible of being handled and
would conduct that great Depart
ment. as an adjunct of the political
machinery of the present adminis-
tration. making his appointments
with due regard to their serving as
a political asset. Mr.. Hitchcock,
the present Postmaster General
and also the Chairman Of the Re-
publican National Committee, will,
as is currently rumored, have all
both of the Postal De-
partment and of the Census, chosen
with an eye single to the building
Of great Republican machine in
this country, and with an eye to
the perpetuation Of the Republican
Party in power.
The Mississippi delegation met
on last Saturday and formally and
fully discussed this subject as
result of investigation By several
Of them regarding the question Of
these appointments. and authorized
one of its members to draw let
ter setting forth these matters for
publication in the Memphis and
New Orleans papers. which | doubt
not you have, or will see. In other
words, we are told plainly that
where Republicans can be secured
they will be had and that the adj
vice of the Republican Referees
will besregarded and not Congress
men.