Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-04-15
PENSION lCEvCIES.
Their Consolidation Not Likely to
Take Place.
REORGANIZATION OF COMMITTEES
Republican and Democratic Senators Pro-
crossing In Their Effort to Reach an
Agreement Veterans Restored to
the Classified Service.

WASHINGTON, April 1O.-It is practi-
cally settled that the consolidation of
the pension agencies as proposed by
the last administration will not 60 into
effect. 1t is learned that, in all proba-
bility, the order will soon be revoked
by President Mckinley. This informa-
ton comes direct from II. Clay Evans,
commissioner Of pensions, who, by in
struction Of the president, has been
making close Investigation into the
economic features of the case and
claims to have discovered it is cheaper
to conduct the agencies as they now
exist than to consolidate them. While
as yet the president has expressed no
opinion regarding the result Of the
commissioners examination, 1t is safe
to predict that the order will be re-
voked very soon, and that the Topeka,
Des Moines and other pension agencies
will not be transferred to st. Louis.
The administration intends to pursue
liberal policy in the matter of appoint
ments to pension examining boards
in every county in the various states
Under the rules put in force by the
Cleveland administration. all pension
examining boards whose members re-
ceive more than $500 year were placed
under civil service rules, but under
recent judicial construction of the
order there is claimed to be ample lati-
tude to make appointments of men,
bers receiving upwards of $500 year,
and the whole question will be sub
mitted to Attorney-General McKenna
for an opinion. In the event that his
opinion is what is generally expected,
appointments will be made to positions
paying more than $500 without first re-
ferring them to the civil service com
mission.
Representative Curtis spent some
time yesterday with the new commits
sioner of pensions discussing matters
relating to Kansas pension boards.
According to the information devel-
oped the only pension boards in the
classified service in Kansas are the fol-
lowing: Topeka, Kansas City, both
boards at Leavenworth and the one at
Winfield. None of the other boards
are classified, which will give the dele
CATION great many more places than
was generally supposed, and will
enable those who were undecided
about these matters to send in their
papers for appointment
REORGANIZATION OF COMMITTEES.
WASHINGTON. April 1.-The commit
tees representing respectively the re-
publican and democratic sides of the
senate resumed their efforts yesterday
to reach an agreement on basis of re-
organizing the senate committees
The republicans have gone to work
with the serious intention of taking
charge of the committees but they find
that, in assuming this task, there are
many delicate points to be settled.
The tariff is giving the managing com
mittee and all the republican SEN
ators more concern than any other
factor in the situation. 1t is doubtful
whether they would attempt to pro-
coed but for this bill. They fear,
however, that If they do not take the
work in hand the bill might be seri-
ously delayed, some of the democrats
having practically warned them that
they would object to any further legis-
lation of any character unless the com
mittees should be filed. There is also
a feeling on the republican side that
any allotment which might appear to
discriminate invidiously against the
populists and silver republicans would
imperil the tariff bill by precipitating
an unseemly wrangle on the eve of its
presentation to the senate. At the con-
clusion of a three hours session of the
republican committee, Senator McMil-
Ian said that such satisfactory prog
ress had been made as to warrant the
prediction that reorganization would
be accepted. Notices were sent to the
republican senators asking them to
specify the committees on which they
would prefer to serve.
VETERANS REINsTATED.
WASHINGTON, April 1O.-Secretary
Bliss is carrying out the policy of the
administration in restoring to the
classified government service old war
veterans who are held to have been
improperly removed from office by the
last administration. Yesterday he re-
instated Capt. HenryC. Potter, of Ohio,
to his old position as chief of the min
eral division Of the land office, and
Capt. George Roadway, Of California, as
chief of the accounts division OF the
general land office.
CAPE Town, April 10.-The Argus an