The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-05
AT The CAPITAL.
Amusing Incidents In the PEN
sion Department.
Clerks Expected to Curry Favor
With New Commissioner.
WENT TO THE TRAIN.
They Expected to Meet Mr.. 8.
II. Peters.
WENT TO THE TRAIN.
Others Got Photographs of Mr..
Peters For Their Desks.

Washington, D. c., Oct Sowing to
considerable discussion regarding the
probable appointment of a Kansas man
as the successor of H. Clay Evans as
pension commissioner, a story has been
brought to light that is of considera bic
interest to those in the employ of the
pension bureau.
The Kansas contingent in the pension
office numbers some fifty odd. about
one-half of which are old soldiers. 1t is
credited that number of them are I'M
friendly to the Evans administration
and are making things quite interesting
about the office in their boasts of what
they will do as soon as a Kansas man
IS installed as commissioner
Throughout government employ politi-
cal influence largely regulates prefer
ment in position and salary, and advan-
tage of such is generally taken of all
possible pull" by the officers and clerks
wherever practica BILE This frequently
causes petty jealousy by those who are
less fortunate in receiving recognition.
Sometimes the Superiors in charge be-
come apparently Over-officiouS while on
the other hand they show a tendency
in many instances to favor their friends,
or pets as they are termed The re-
suit of such condition is that there
are always some who await an oppor-
tun1ty to play even
1t is charged that some of the Kansas
fellows have caused a chaotic condition
to exist during the last few months in
the pension office by claims that they
viii succeed some of the chiefs of the
several sections and divisions of the
bureau and run things as soon as a Kan
sas man is selected to succeed Commits
sioner Evans. Considering that most
of the chiefs of these sections and di-
visions are Evans special friends, the
Kansas fellows feel almost assured that
the former will have to go with Evans,
and that they will easily fall into their
berths.
1t is thought by some that this con-
dition is injuring to some extent the
workings of the bureau. and rnat if Com
missioner Evans is allowed to stay he
may effect some reductions in the sal
aries of those who are foremost in the
apparent corruption of the office organic
alton.
The story is told that when it was
gresham Peters of Kansas had been
called to Washington to confer with
President Mckinley relative to the APP
pointment of the commissionership that
a number of the Kansas employees in the
pension office asked leave OF absence
from duty on the day he was expected
to arrive inWashington- They are said
to have gone to the railway station and
awaited his coming. AS Judge Peters
did not arrive they were very much dis
appointed
Another story has it that a few of
them went to loyal photograph galleries,
where public mems pictures are sold,
to obtain a photo of ex-Congressman
Peters to display on their desks in office.
Kansas probably gets more appoint
ments in the Indian service than any
other state. This is largely due to the
efforts of Congressman Charles Curtis,
who, although not chairman of the
house committee on Indian affairs, is
the most prominent member of the
CON mittee-
1t is reported here that Representa-
tive A. NJ. Jackson, of the Third Kan
sas district. has selected Mr.. Burke, ed