The Washington times., 1909-04-26
This Impression Given Prom
inent Callers On, ,PreSi-
dent Today.
CORRECT VERSION
OF TROUBLE GIVEN
Friction With Secretary NageI
Arose Over Directors Plans
For Census.
By JAMES HAY. II.

Unless there are unexpected develop
ments. s. N. d. North, director of the
Census Bureau. will retain his position
in the Government service, despite the
admitted friction between him and Sec
Tetary NageI. of the Department OF
Commerce and Labor
This Is the impression of prominent
men who discussed the matter with the
President today.
None of those directly interested
would discuss today the matter of the
successor to Mr.. North in case lie
Should drop out. but neither did they
question the information printed IN
The Times yesterday that L. Dana Du-
rand, of the Bureau of Corporations,
was slated for the work in case of a
Vacancy.
Mr.. North is sick in bed today as the
result OF the controversy, and is re-
ported TO he on the verge of nervous
prcstration
IT is said by friends of the Admin
lstration that the pending census bill
viii be amended at this late stage so
as to give the Secretary of Com
merce and Labor greater authority
over the Director of the Census than
IS now provided Unles this is done
there a trong probability that the
president will veto the bill.
II is declared that this plan of re-
MI. NOEln as director OF the
Census and at the same time altering
the bill so that it will give the SeCTe-
fary OF Commerce and Labor more
power is the outlet from the present
involved situation.
There may be trouble. however, in
having the bill amended at this late
day. and If it is not done il will either
go over to the next session or face the
probability Of the Presidents veto. If
no action should be had on the bill be-
lore the next session Of Congress, Mr..
North would have to act in complete
subordination TO Mr.. Nagel, as It is
only by the terms of this bin that he is
given such enlarged power.
II President Taft removes him, IL viii
be over the protests of such men as
Senator Root, Senator Crane, Repre-
sentative Crumpacker, chairman of the
House Committee on Census, and Sen
ator La Toilette chairman of the SEN
ate Census Committee. Senator Root
IS a great friend Of North and. believes
81 nlnl, and he mas taken up the clidgeis
in his defense.
The Times ls enabled TO give the first
definite statement of the facts which
caused the trouble between Mr.. Nagel
and Mr.. North. It is as follows;
Director North went ahead and az
ranged for certain matters, including
contracts, pertaining TO the taking OF
the next census. When he had gotten
these matters well under Sgay. he sub
mttted the papers to Secretary Nagel.
his chief. for approval. Mr.. Nagel i'm
mediately made the point that. IL he
was TO shoulder partial responsibility
for them by putting his official 20. K. q"
on them, he had TO be consulted about
them in advance
Mr.. North could not see things In
that light. and the whole situation was
then laid before the President.
CompIieates Affairs.
It was aggravated by the fact that
slr. North was proceeding in this way
before the pending census bill had been
enacted into law. This bill gives the
Director of the Census tremendous
powers and authority, and. had he
waited until the bill had been made a
law he would have been more strongly
situated than he is now. Under present
circumstances. and while me bin is yet
unenacted into law, Mr.. Nagel, being
The head OF the department under which
the Census Bureau operates, IS the
whole works" and his word is the law
so far as Nr. North Is concerned.
There is a persistent report that the
contract which caused the friction was
the one dealing with tabulating machines
for taking the next census. II was Mr..
North's idea 10 put up a type Of ma
chine according to his own ideas. This
would have saved the Government large
sums OF money, 100000, according TO
Mr.. North's friends, and would have
meant a consequent loss TO outside firms
Therefore. when the circumstances
were laid before the President, and in
turn described to the whole Cabinet by
Mr. Taft, there was practically unani-
NOUS tendency TO side against Mr.
North.
In the long conference which was
held late last evening at the White
! House, there were present the Presi-
dent Secretary Nagel Assistant Secre-
fary OF Commerce and Labor Ormsby
McfIarg, Solicitor Earl or the depart
tnent, and Director of the Census North.
Although official lucsment OF the
result Of this conference, which lasted
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