Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-12-23
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
Commissioner Of Pensions Evans
Gives His Views of tho Gystern.
INDIAN RESERVATION "S0OyEAS. !"
Interior Department Officials Qusstion the
Good Faith Of the Leaders In the
Movement Congr, ssman Cur
tia Indian Eli.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9l.-Commissionel
n Pensions Evans yesterday appeared
before the senate committee on civil
service and retrenchment, which Il
conducting an investigation into the
operation of the civil service system.
Mr.. Evans was questioned at length
BY Senators Lodge and Pritchard about
the civil service system and Its appli-
cation to the pension Office force lie
expressed the opinion that the law did
mot accomplish the results Its friends
insisted that 1t did. The best men In
his office were those who had come in
under the so-called "spoils system"
They did their duty and expected
TO hold their positions by so do
ing. The pension examining boards
be said, ought not to be in the
classified service, as 1t was desirable
TO secure men as members OF such
boards who had had wide surgical ex-
perience-army experience, II possible
and such men would not enter into
competition for the places with young
men just out of college. He thought,
however. that the entire system of APP
pointing the board was wrong, and
that all Of them ought 10 be under q
uniform system Of appointment. The
commissioner believed that the head
Of II bureau was in the best qualified
position to pass upon the efficiency OF
\ clerk, and that he ought not to be
hampered in removing clerk for
inefliciency. If permitted to do so,
he could remove at lxast 100
clerks from his office without affect
ing the efficiency OF the force. lie
thought it would be desirable to have
. definite tenure OF Office, not exceed
ing ten years, so that every yearabout
ten per cent of new blood could be in
fused into the force This would do
away with the abuses resulting from
clerks remaining in Office too long.
The commissioner thought some re-
form would have to be enacted, or the
country would have the infection Of a
civil pension list. He believed it was
. mistake to include in the classified
service the special examiners, medical
boards chiefs of divisions and all 9TH
ers receiving salaries exceeding 81, 400.
INDIAN RESERVATION "so0NERs."
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2l.-Interior de-
partment officials are watching the
operations of the land boomers, who,
1t is alleged are making arrangements
to enter the lands OF the Wichita,
Kiowa and Apache and Comanche In.
dian reservations in Oklahoma. A
treaty for the opening Of the latter is
now pending before congress. Some
of the literature of the persons who
are working up the boom has been re-
ceived at the department, in which
commissions Of membershiparc offered
for sale at the rate Of SIS each. They |
have been scattered broadcast through.
out the country. The agents are said
to receive 81 for each member enrolled.
The opinion is expressed at the de.
partment that the persons behind the
scheme have no idea of being permitted
to occupy the lands, but that they will,
after interesting large number of
persons in 1t, cease their operations.
No particular place of rendezvous for
the proposed "sooners" is indicated in
the pamphlets received at the depart
ment. The Indian agents have been
warned of the proposed movement and
have been directed TO call on the mill
tary to assist in preventing the forci-
BILE occupation of the lands Commits
sioner Jones, of the Indian office, has
returned from visit to the
Indian country and is disposed to give
little credit TO the probability Of any
Invasion of the lands and says, after
IN investigation of the reports, that
there is nothing to be feared
CURTIS INDIAN BILL.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 9l.-The senate
md house committees on Indian affairs
held a joint session yesterday, consid.
sring Indian territory matters. The
bill of Mr.. Curtis, of Kansas, provid-
ing for allotments laying out town.
'ites, leasing of coal and other mineral,
timber, farming and grazing land, ETC.,
vas discussed section by section.
There was a number of points which
t was agreed might be amended, but
hey were not formally acted upon.
The two committees will meet again
iext Monday.