The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-03-05

All the more by contrast with some
other departments of the govern
ment, the Census bureau shines as
an example of efficiency and econom-
lcal administration in the handling
of greater public work. Heretofore
because of the increase in popula-
ton from one decade to another,
each new census has cost about one
half more than that which immedi-
ately preceded it. That which will
be taken in 1910 however, the di-
rector estimates, will cost little if
any more than the one taken ten
years ago, and this in spite Of the
fact that there has not only been
the usual increase in population but
an especially large increase among
immigrants, a class difficult and ex-
pensive to enumerate. This great
saving, about $6,0OO,O00, is directly
due to the fact that the bureau is
now a permanent organization, which
has been brought to a high state Of
efficiency. There will be no loss of
time getting started, or breaking in
or trying out of new clerks. No test
ing of new systems. Moreover, a
new type of tabulating machine, de-
vised and built by the bureau will
be in use. In the past the govern
ment has rented machines for this
purpose, but an inability to agree as
to price with the company which
owned them led to the invention and
building of other machines, which
have been found to do the work
better and more cheaply. 1t is hoped
also that congress will make it pos
sible TO pay operators Of these ma
chimes by the piece instead of by the
day as that will still further re-
duce the cost. The director recon-
mends that of the $4,000 enumer-
ators who will be necessary for the
next census that as many as posi-
Bile will be taken from educational
institutions, and women as we'll as
men will be employed.
When the fifteen new men enter
the senate OIL the 4th of March, will
the traditions of that body as to
committee assignments be shattered?
The favorite process of promotion
in the senate is by the slow lapse of
time. The new senator is put on
probation. For the first six years he
gets the tail end of unimportant COM
mittees. If his people re-elect him
he begins to plume himself a little
and demand recognition. A third
term puts him somewhere in line
for Craftsmanship worth while.
Now it is obvious that this method
of promotion holds some drawbacks.
A dull man representing a dull state
might rise by the mere fact of SEN
iority to the Craftsmanship of finance
or navy or appropriations. He might
exhibit there the most refined and
torturing incapacity, but he would
hold the place valiantly for would he
not have come to it by length of ser
vice? 1t might be asked, if he was
not tit, why did his constituents
continually send him back? This
might be supposed to be stumper,
but it is no stumper at all. New
York sent Platt back to the senate
time after time, not because he was
good or great, but because he de-
voted his time, his money, his low
political cunning and his tenacity of
purpose to the senatorship. There
are times when precedent must give
way. To keep such a man as Sen
ator Root at the foot of the COM
mittee list for four to six years is
unthinkable. 1t would partly de-
feat the purpose for which he was
sent to the senate. 1t is so with
others. Their advancement is too
slow for the times. The senate's
business is previously INSTRUCTED by
the burden laid upon the veteran
senator's. The present session has
seen the spectacle of Senator Hale
trying to carry the work of the naval
committee, while he also acts as
chairman of appropriations. AS
result the senate is far behind in it's
supply bills. The only reason for it
is that the old hands in the senate
hate to let go little authority.
They especially dislike to see an up
start get footing at once. Such up
starts as Burton, of Ohio, Jones of
Washington, who has served ten
years in the house, and others, will
hardly sit patiently by and see legis-
lation of the next six years arranged
through committee assignments in
which they have a minimum part.
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