Evening star., 1909-04-11
CENSUS BILL PASSED
Service Classified as Favored
by President.
SPECIAL TEST PROVIDED
Director Is to Prescribe Character
of Examinations.
OFFICIAL SALARIES REDUCED
$3.50, 900 Appropriated for Purchass
of Site and Erection of Build
ing-other Changes.
SPECIAL TEST PROVIDED
OFFICIAL SALARIES REDUCED

After agreeing to provision which Is
said to meet the views OF President TAFT
regarding appointments for census work
under regulations by the civil service COM
mission, the Senate late yesterday after
noon passed the bill providing for the
taking of the thirteenth and subsequent
decennial censuses.
Senator Bailey's amendment, the pur-
pose of which was TO permit these ap-
pointments to be made by. the director or
the census regardless of the civil service
commission, was defeated after long
debate.
Before the vote on the Bailey amend
ment was taken, Senator Carter, a me::l-
that II the old census bill passed by the
last Congress and vetoed by Mr.. Roosevelt
had come before the Senate for another
vote he would have voted to override the
veto of the President He pointed out
differences in the bill under consideration
and that vetoed by Mr.. Roosevelt.
The present bill, he said. provides for
Special test open to all applicants,
while the old bill required dn,v on,eo =" ,Snss
designated by senator's and representa-
tives.
Provisions Of Bill.
AS finally adopted by the Senate. the bill
prescribed that the additional clerks and
other employees, except the private secre-
tary to the director. shall be subject TO
such special test examination as the direc-
tor Of the census may prescribe. the eA
animation to be conducted by the Unlteo
States civil service commission, the eN-
animation to be open to all applicants
without regard to political party afnliations
and such examinations shall De helo aC
such places in each state as may be-
designated by the civil service commits
sion.
1t is further stipulated that copies or
the eligible registers SO estaoiisned anu
shall be furnished the dire OF OIL
the census by the civil service COM
mission, and selections therefrom snail oo
made by the director OF the eensnn. , ~.
| as now provided for the classified service
| In the order Of rating.
These provisions are substantially as
the House passed them, save that eA-
ception made in the cases of messengers,
assistant messengers. messenger boys.
unskilled laborers and charwomen was
eradicated in the Senate.
Examinations at Domicile.
The following proviso was added by
the Senate and is of the utmost impor-
tance to residents of the District mas
much as it prevents them from claiming
residence in other parts OF the coun.,s
when applying for PERMISSION 10 laho
civil service examinations for any gov
ernment position whatever:
.Tbat hereafter all examinations OF ap-
plicants for positions in the government
service from any state or terruory sfaii
he had in the state or territory IN which
such applicant resides, and no person
shau he eligible for such examination or
appointment unless he or sne shaii nave
been actually domiciled In sucn STATE or
territory for at least one year previous
TO such examination
raj
to the adoption of the foregoing provi-
sion 1t was proposed by Senator La
Toilette on behalf of the census COM
mittee.
Mechanics Exempted.
The House proviso was stricken OUT
which allowed the director TO give pref
erence to eligibles who by reason OF resi-
dence or other conditions are immediatels
available when the eXigencies or the
service require. and also perHlltihs MN
to prefer persons having previous expert
ence and accept their records IN TINS re-
gard in lieu of examinations In IT'S place
was adopted a paragraph exemptlng from
the law of apportionmens opera.oIs .h',ia.,un un
mechanical appliances useu al eapuia.ne
the census figures.
The Senate also failed to agree TO the
House appropriations of $43o,OU TOT the
purchase of the site OF the present cen,
sus Office. on street between LIST ana
I'd streets northwest. and an adjoining
Site and of s2JO.O0O for the erection OF
Ian additional building. Instead, 1t adopt
ed a section giving sIJoOOO TOT the pur-
chase of . site and erection of a build
ing for the census wherever the Secre-
tarv of the Treasury may deem most ad-
| visable.
This does not prevent the selection OF
tho nresepf site Many senators ex-
pressed the opinion that the Secretary
would be forced to buy it for want of
something better Within the limit of cost
prescribed.
The only other important changes made
| by the Senate in the House bill were to
reduce the salaries of the director and
| other high officials of the census ofiice,
according to the recommendations OF the
| committee.