Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-16
POLITICS IS BARRED
Takers of Census Must Not
Try to Build Up a Machine.
ORDERS ISSUED BY TAFT
Directions Embodied in Letter to
Secretary Nagel.
SELECTION OF SUPERVISORS
Practically All the Appointments
Agreed Upon-Some Tempo
rarily Held UP.

BEVERLY. Mass. August 16.-ln
letter addressed 10 Secretary \asel of
the Department az Commerce and Yahor,
President Taft has served notice that
any man engaged il the taking Of the
thirteenth census - the United States
who engages in politics IN any way viii
Immediately lie dismissed from the serr-
lee Outside OF casting their votes the
President believes that census super
yisors and enumerators should keep
clear Of anything that savors Of politics.
national. state local
The President orders that the Secrc-
tary Of Commerce and Labor and the dl-
rector OF the census cnbody in the regu-
lationS governing the taking II the cen
sus the rule forcibIy laid down in his
letter.
MI Taft says that in appointing cen-
suS supervisors it has been found neces-
Sars to select men recommended by sem
atcrs and representatives in their dis
trictS lie says he realizes that TINS
method Of selection might easily be per
veTtcd to political purposes, ana II IS 10
take the census ont OF politics. so far as
the actual work u concerned, that lie
has explicitly expressed his desires as 10
the regulations.
President Taft has told the representa-
tiVeS and senators who have urged Narl-
Gus men for census places that he would
insist that no active partisan should he
named. and that no attempt should be
made to- build up political machine IN
any state or district through the dis
trihution OF the census patronage.
The Presidents Letter.
The Presidents letter i'll fun follows:
"BEVERLY, Mass. August il. Es9.
My Dear Mr.. Secretary: The taking
OF the census involves the appointment of
u
turn. are TO appoint many times that
number of cnumerators. The supervisors
are given complete discretion in the Sc
lection of snumerato-s respectively 10
act under them. The success OF the CEN
sus will depend upon the efficiency ana
strict attention to duty of the supervis-
ors and upon the intelligence of the emu
merators and their faithful application TO
the business i'll hand
'.Generally. there is a supervisor Tor
each congressional district. 1t has been
found to he the quickest and best means |
of selecting suitable supervisors to con-
suit the representatives and senator's as
to competent candidates from thelf re-
spective districts and states.
This system can easily be perverted TO /
political purposes if the Supervisors are
not forbidden TO use it as an instrument
for influencing local and general elections
and primaries in the interest OF particular |
candidates or parties. II is not an I'M
reasonable requirement that any one who
accents an appointment as SUPERVISOR vi
as enumerator shall during the term OF
his employment and service avoid an ac-
tive part in politics.
Partisan Activity Forbidden.
Il therefore order that in the prepare
ton of the regulations for the taking of
the census YOU and the director of the
census embody therein a provision that
any supervisor or enumerator who uses
his influence with his suhordinates or col
leagues to assist any party or any candl-
date in primary general election, or
who takes any part. other than merely
casting his vote. in politics. national, state
or local either by service upon poiltl-
cal committee. by public addresses. by the
solicitation of votes or otherwise. snail at
once ne dismissed from the service.
Il wish to make this regulation as
broad as possible, and wish 1T enforced
without exception. 1t Is OF the highest
Importance that the census should be
taken by men having only the single !
purpose of reaching just and right re-
suit and that the large amount of money
10 be expended in the employment of so
vast a machine as the census shall not
be made to serve the political purposes
OF auy one Sincerely yours.
''WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT.
Hon. Charles Nagel Secretary of
Commerce and Labor.
Appointment Of Supervisors.
One hundred and thirty-four additional
supervisors of the census were announced |
yesterday. President Taft was busy I'M
til late Saturday night signing the COM
missions of the successful candidates.
Altogether 1874 of the $50 supervisors now
have been commissioned, and Mr.. Taft's
task is a little more than half completed |
Practically all of the appointments have
been agreed upon, but some being
held up temporarily on account of pro-
tests.
The following appointments from Mary
land were announced
First district, Orvice r. Leonard; third |
district. Frederick I. Burton.
The President and Capt. Butt. his aid, |
attended the Unitarian Church yesterday I
morning and listened to sermon by the |
Rev. Samuel A. Eliot of Cambridge |
Mass. Mr.. Eliot IS a of President |
temeritus) Eliot of Harvard and is pres |
ident of the American Unitarian Asso- |
citation. The subject of his sermon was |
The Uses of Adversely