Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-30
CENSUS TAKER
DIFFICULTY MAY
PROVE SERIOUS
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MAY
ACT INDEPENDENTLY
CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS OBJECT TO
sTATlSTlcIAN
Fear Man Selected by Congressman
McLachIan for Position Is Not
as Well Qualified as
Another
THE appointment of a county su-
pervisor of enumerators to super
- - L tlan- lncnn NJ al

= intend the taking of the decennial
census of Los Angeles county in 1910
has aroused a tempest in which the
civic bodies of Los Angeles have ar
rayed themselves as opposed to the ap-
pointment of w. H. Wright at present
holder of the office of county statistl-
clan.
Another person prominently men
toned as q likely appointee Tor tne
important office is George a. Fltcn'
former auditor of the Santa Fe rail-
way. and at present engaged in the
real estate business.
1t NAV be more truly said that In
stead of the civic bodies OF Los An
geles being arrayed against the ap-
pointment Of Mr.. wright, tney are
strongly in favor of the appointment
of Mr.. Fitch, which is the diplomatic
view of the situation
The appointment of a census taker
is regarded as important, more es-
peaially this year than ten years ago,
because unless the work is thoroughly
and fairly executed it will mean a
great handicap to the advertising
boosting of Los Angeles during the
next ten years.
It has always been the endeavor toi
keen the appointment out of politics,
although the appointee is named byl
the national census supervisor, gener-
allv at the suggestion of the congress-
man from each district.
McLachIan for Wright
This is where the present hitch has
come. as it Is understood that Con-
gressman McLachlan has indorsed Mr..
Wright for the appointment and mas
stated that he will support him when
the question of the appointment comes
up within the next few weeks.
It has been strongly intimated that
the promise of the appointment was
made to Mr.. Wright over a year ago
and more strongly intimated that the
promise came as the repayment or
political debt.
CONGRESSMAN McLachlan has been
quoted as saying that he will insist on
recommending the appointment of Mr..
Wright and 1t was tor TINS reason
that the members of the chamber OF
commeree and the Merchants ana
Manufacturers association decided tol
take part in the matter.
while no member of either of these
representative bodies, speaking tor
their respective organizations, VIII
nuhl;clv state that Mr.. Wrights past
Z iecnrd is such as to warrant him in
competent to give a fair and Impartial
census. personal opinions bear out the
statement
Census May Be Independent
y TTnless Congressman McLachlan can
he Induced to recede from his stand In
urging the appointment of Mr.. wright,
II is not at all improbable that tne
matter of the 1910 census VIII pe taken
from q. regularly appointed person ana
conducted independently by and at the
expense of the Los Angeles chamber
of commerce.
such a circumstance happened when
the decennial census was taken III
1900. for after the census had pro
ceeded a short time it was learned that
int
work in a proper manner, and at an
expense estimated at $4,000, the Los
Angeles chamber of commerce TOOK the
matter in its own hands ana COM
pleted a satisfactory census
II is well known that Senator Fllnt
is not in favor of the appointment OF
MIR Wright, and that it will mean po-
litical suicide for Mr.. Wright or Con
gressman McLachlan to ride rough-
shod over the position OF senator tllHt
and the civic bodies of Los Angeles IS
the opinion of those familiar WIN the
affair. oe tho
counties of California as we'll as other
states in the union is held, and on
these statistics is based the rise ana
1roJvth of cities as compared with
Cities in the same states and IN tne
IInited states The Importance OF
bavine an accurate and just census is
seen hv the fact that these ngures,
which are reRdTueQ DIS olllSi'i' NS~
IN advertising and boosting CITY
Chamber Is Interested
That they will be particularly I'M
nortant to Los Angeles in the tuture
T. certain, on account of the wonder
g,1 and unprecedented growth OF Los
:, xneeles in the last ten years.
willis H. Booth, president OF the
chamber of commerce, said yesterday:
.rTbe chamber of commerce has not
;uoorsed any person for the census APP
pointment, but does regard the matter
as one of vital Importance, and In
which the chamber should take
prominent part
',Not being a political organization
tha chamber does not wish to estab-
lish any precedent by indorslng eltner
candidate, but that the chamber VIII
urge the appointment of q proper ana
canable person is assured. We have
been asked to express our feeling in
the appointment, and as a result stated
that the appointment of Mr.. Fitch was
acceptable and entirely satisfactory
The name of Mr.. Wright has been
mentioned and unofficially has been
declared unsatisfactory.
"The chamber does not wish it un-
derstood that question of personality
has entered in the matter. All that is
desired is that capable person VINO
will do justice to the census be ap-
pointed. we reel we nave the rlSnt TO
insist on the appointment of good
man. and if such is not appointed we
will take the matter in our own hands,
as was done ten years ago. 1t is
matter of civic pride, and in view of
the remarkable growth of Los Angeles
during the past ten years we feel that
Los Angeles Is entitled to all the
credit that the city has justly gained"
Want Good Man
Perry w. Weidner, secretary of
the Merchants and Manufacturers as
sociation, said in regard to the mat
ter: 2,
"Our position is similar to that taken
h,, the chamber of commerce. All that
is wanted is the best obtainable man
for the place, disregarding personality
or POLITICAL preference. We believe