The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-03
MARTIN MAKES A STIR.
Discharged Pension Office Clerk
Circulates Charges.

Albert Martin, clerk in the Topeka
pension agency who was removed on
May 10, last, is making an Industrious
effort to create public feeling against
Pension Commissioner Eugene +. Ware
and the system that has been intro
duced by him for the regulation of sal
aries of pension agency employees. Inc
trouble is caused by Mr.. Wares order
for the revision of salary lists in all the
pension agencies, which went into effect
in November of last year 1t resulted in
the reduction of the salary of Martin,
L. S. Fortune and Martin Oswald In the
Topeka office. Other clerks here were
given increased wages.
Last January Martin sent to Pension
Commissioner Ware a couple of affida-
Wits besides his own in which he set
forth that General Metcalf, pension agent
at Topeka, had told him. at the time his
salary was reduced that the reduction
was the result of political influence, and
that Metcalf told them that they were
better clerks than some that had been
advanced in salary. Martin also alleges
that Metcalf conhded to him that he
had reached the conclusion that it was
impossible to eliminate political influ-
ence from the pension office.
Pension Commissioner Ware replied,
regarding the communication, simply
/ that the reductions had been made not
! for political reasons but that the scheme
! of regarding might be carried out :"
Martin was not content 10 let the matter
rest there but sent to Mr.. Ware a let
/ ter in which occurred the following par
agraph:
You seem to think that my affidavit
/ charging my reduction to political IN
f1uence referred to your order grazing
the salaries in the Topeka agency. Ihat
assumption is entirely erroneous. What
1 swore to is that Gen. Metcalf. in ad-
/ justing the salaries under your ORDER
! classifying this agency, told Martin Os-
and me that he had
| been made to see that politics could not
be ignored in the conduct of his once,
/ and that we would have to submit TO a
reduction of our salaries, although ne
knew us to be thoroughly competent
\ clerks. much more 50 than great many
F, clerks to whom he would give, under
I your classification,-from 500 to $5OV
year more than he would gave to US
Mr.. Martin laid bare the situation IN
| the Topeka agency according to ms
own pointoO of view att considerable
length. A few days afterward Martis
was asked to resign. which ne oeclheC
to do He sent copies of his and Ware
CORES pondence to the civil service com
mission and to the secretary of the in
terror at Washington These were cyl
IDENTIFY referred back to Ware, who dis
charged Martin.
Since then Martin has again for.
warded to Washington affidavits anc
statements setting forth his troubles II
the hope of interesting some one II
authority in an investigation of Mr.
| Wares alleged disregard of the clVl
service rules. In his last statement O
which Martin has sent copies to various
newspapers he brings up the fact O
the appointment of a negro in the To
peka pension agency. He says tn
negro was formerly Mr.. Wares coach
man and is improperly placed on thu
nav roi1 here as a ''labOrer-
Pension Agent Wilder S. Metcalf wa
this morning asked for statement il
regard to the controversy which Mar
tin has started. He said:
The salary lists of all the pension
agencies in the United States were re
vised and changed by order of Pension
Commissioner Ware eight or min
months since. This was done in pur
. Der of clerkshiDs and salaries in eacl
agency Under this order of the pen
zion commissioner several clerks in thi
agency received a considerable increas
in salary and four received a decreas
! of 800 each. That there was absolutel
no political reason for this change j
r shown by the fact that as many Dem
5 ocrats, if not more, received an in
l crease in salary as there were Demo
Gratis who were decreased in salary.
There was no politics in the change
! made under Mr.. Wares order. IL
D true that colored man is employed i
5 the Topeka agency. He is classified a
a laborer but does some clerical wor
when he has no heavier work to do. H
is competent as a clerk. and has a des
2 at which he works part of the time.
do not know whether or not he used
. be Mr. Wares coachman and do nc
care as long as he does his work. H
4 was appointed from Washington"