Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1898-04-21
ABUSING CLAY EVANS.
Republican Clerks Say He is Not
Giving Them a Chance.

WASHINGTON, April 7--Wnr has
broken out among the Republican
clerks in the Pension ONCE They are
denouncing quietly the c'urse which
Comm ssioner Of Pensions II. Clay E.
ans is pursuing. Last Saturday fifty
promotions and reductions were made
among the clerks in the Pension Office,
and it - said tnat a majority Of the pro-
motions made were Democrats, two Of
whom are from Tennessee. Tue Repub
Leans have expected Col. Evans in ma
king promotions to favor them in all
cases, but il seems they have been mis-
taken. Whatever may be said against
Col, Evans politically, he is conducting
the affairs Of the Pension Office without
regard 10 politics. The same methods
which made his private business a sue
cess in Chattanooga have been put into
operation into operation in the Pension
Ouice, AMI promotions arc made, not
upon political allegiance, but upon ac-
tual merit. Democrats who arc cOmpe-
tant are treated with tho same consider
alton as Republicans, and those who
are not competent are reduced To lower
rank with the same dispatch that are
the Democrats. Thus Col. Evans is
showing no favoritism, but running the
office on strictly business principles.
This is contrary TO Republican methods.
The clerks in tho Pension Office, plrtic-
ularly the Republicans, had boon led to
b.lieye that when the Republican Ad-
MIN, stratlon came into power they
would be elevated in rank without re-
rard to their artual worth, and That the
Democrats would beremoved regardless
of their merits.
When Commissioner Evans assumed
charge of the Office, however, he had a
SUNRISE in store for them. The first
,nan,rns made the clerks claimed were
| wholly in the interests of Northern p %
nle. Subs, Quent changes were equally
unsatisfactory and the long list Of pro-
nations and lemoLiOns published last
saturday called forth storm OF oppo-
sition. Monday and Tuesday were o.
! vpntful DAYS at the Pension Ohice. Re-
| nuhlirnn members Of Congress aSSe IN
! hlpd IN the Commissioner Office to pro-
test AGAINST tho 7, duction Of their Re-
nnblican constituents, forgetting for
thn mnment tho all absorbing topic OF
war They were disg listed with theil
prns:d.,ntilnd were Vexed with the Com
n,issinnpr Of Pensions. But their pro
taa,savailed them nothing. Col. Ey
ans sunyu in manner, but resolutB IN
Shora,.trr. informed each and every
member that he had mads the changes
win tho improvement OF the public
sn.s;,o in yirw Hu declared that hC
IconId not rescind any OF the changes
mis- simply poured oil on tue already
Unnamed pulse of the K publican meul
hers of Congress. Inoy were Vexe'
with their President and mad at incl
Commiss of Pensions
IN, American correspondent met on'
LOT them as he was luavIn5 Lho Fehslol
Office. In dire sarcasm lao SAID Sup
pose that if the Presidents Sp"ntsi
policy gets him into baa fePuCo VIII
the people Of the United oI@Ves' Iu'
Commissioners pension poIlcy may pul
him through" Then he auueu' ~ ap
pears to me that the officials Oh VnlS al
min stration are rapidly steering VIZ
Republican party into the gun Vi u''e
humiliation. -.
But notwithstanding the cou
Of the Republican mbers, ami Vne lS'
publican Pension Ollice clerks, Tehhvs
sees Commissioner Of Pensions Ue
serves great credit, There never VA
been time when pension cases VIZ
being adjusted with tho dispatch Inc
are at present. Tho machinery of III
, Pension OfIice is being operated III
mechanical way. The clerks are
their desks promptly at o'clock, au'
+ remain at their desks during the en- UT
business day, thing unheard OF durin
, previous administrations. The clerA
are given TO understand that there ar
no sinecuro positions in the Pensio
D partnent, and that every maa is %
, pccJed TO attend to his business in
businpss-like way.-Nashville Amer
can.