The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-06-02
RECEPTION FOR WARE.
Veterans Gather at Lincoln Post
Hall to Do Him Honor

when I was first appointed pension
commissioner I was followed by news
paper reporters from every paper that
could get at me, asking me to announce
my policy in the pension agency" de-
clared United States Pension Commits
sioner Eugene F. Ware at the reception
rendered him by the members ofIincoln
Post No. /, of the Grand Army of the
Republic, Saturday night.
The reception was a pleasant affair in
every respect The room was crowded
with the veterans of the civil war. Mr..
Ware in his response to Captain J. G.
Waters address of welcome outlined a
few Of the details of the pension office,
the multiplicity of which can only be
apparent to one who comes into contact
with the duties of the Office.
o. H. Coulter was introduced and
made chairman of the meeting which
preceded the reception. On the plat
form besides Mr. and Mrs E. F. Ware,
We're Miss Abby Ware, General Wilder
S. Metcalf United States pension agent
Captain J. G. Waters, Colonel O. H
Coulter and Captain NJ. J. Bevelle and a
number of veterans.
i haven't announced my policy and
viii let you judge what it is by watch
ing IS the answer 1 have always had
for the reporters said Mr.. Ware.
In fact" he continued. Il do not ex-
pect to announce any policy The peo-
PIE Will nave 70 ju4zG WldL II - Dy
what happens. There are the statutes
Of congress upon the affairs and duties
of the pension department That law
viii be followed implicitly. When a
matter comes up in which there is an
equity which the words of the law do
not reach. take charge of that my
self.
When I went to Washington, Presi-
dent Roosevelt told me he wanted me to
go down and take charge of the pension
office right off. I told him I was willing
to do it, but I did not know whether or
not | would like it. The president said
I probably wouldn't like it when I went
in, and I'd like it less and less the long
er stayed
.On my first day in the Office I held
a big reception and shook hands with
everybody in the pension Office. There
are more people there than there are on
Kansas avenue, from the river to the
fair grounds. It took me just half a
day to meet them all, and when got
through my arm was about loosened
from my shoulder
sThere are different ways of running
an Office he said zone way is to
run it so as to get another am net
going to run this one that way I aspire
to have the laws of congress strictly and
absolutely carried out I viii look af-
ter the equity. In order to run the
Office ] have got to have the sympathy.
good viii and support Of al good
thinking people IN the country.
haven't expressed by policy. I simply
want to fill the Office to the satisfa elton
of the old soldiers and the people"
Mr.. Ware told of the many duties of the
pension office; how he turned in and
mastered the duties of the office in the
short time he spent in Washington; how
the office hours Of each day were d.
vided. and the process through which an
application for q pension must go.
Mr.. Ware declared that in accordance
with President RoOseveit's expressed
wishes the pension office was to be kept
MI. Ware left Sunday for Washington
to resume his duties.