The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-18
IT ISN'T TRUE.
Mr.. Ware Hasn't Quit Reading
the Newspapers.
Worried Because of Favorable
Democratic Comments.
HE HAS MADE FIGURES.
Finds That $4,000, 900, 900
Has Been Paid in Pensions.
Laughs at What He Calls a Joke
on Bailey.

Pension Commissioner E F Ware
arrived in Topeka last night on his
way back TO Washington from the
west. He will remain here several DAYS.
Mr.. Ware attended the national en-
campment Of the G. A r. at San Fran
cisco last month and since then has
been taking an outing in Colorado. He
stopped off in Topeka to look after
some business matters.
When Mr.. Ware was here last he
made the remark that he had quit
reading the newspapers. The state
ment, which was. of course, a Joking
one seems to have been taken serious
ly by many newspapers and il was the
subject of wide newspaper comment
But Mr.. Wares newspaper critics do
not intend that he shall escape the op-
portunity of seeing their criticisms in
any such manner. and when a State
Journal reporter visited Mr.. Ware to-
day in his office in the Central National
oank building. he had just opened a
bunch of newspaper clipping which
somebody had sent him.
Anything interesting in them -
asked the reporter as Mr.. Ware
glanced hurriedly through the bunch.
No, he replied; they are only COM
ments on my annual report
Topeka is a good town. said the
pension commissioner. changing the
subject 1t seems mighty good 10 be
back here in this old office. and I look
forward 10 the time when 1 can come
Dack mere ana resume Dractirinsy Law
And the commissioner of pensions
looked affectiorately around the little
private Office which is one Of the suite
occupied by his law firm 1t contains
only desk or two, a couple of chairs
ana little other furniture. but on the
wall hangs large autograph copv Of
John J. Ingalls, Opportunity. framed
with full length portrait of ingalls,
himself Near by hangs q pen and ink
drawing Of the former senator in the act
OF hurting defi' at Mrs. Lease while
on the other side is q bust picture of
Senator Plumb.
Nobody has been stirring up trouble
for you lately" commented the repor-
ter. What is the reason2'
I don't know" said Mr. Ware. 1T
rather worries me. Several Democratic
papers have praised me lately. and 1
nave begun TO be afraid there is some
thing wrong somewhere"
Do you contemplate any new policy
when you get back TO Washington"
No 1 just expect To take the regu-
lar routine. but there is something new
in that every 30 minutes
Mr. Ware expressed himself as well
pleased with the national encampment
at San Francisco
1 had q good time and enjoved il.
The election of General Black as COM
mander-in-chief was a splendid selec-
ton. You know General Black used to
be pension commissioner himself The
next national encampment will be held
/ in Boston, but 1 think the one after
that ought TO come 10 Kansas City Then
one will have been held at the extremes
of the country. and one in Kansas City
would be in the center.
I have been making a little compu-
tation of the pension business which
the United States has done since it
started the pension bureau back in
1898 have figured up the amount
that has been paid out in pensions and
the amount il mas taken to maintain
the bureau and pension agencies and
find that il would make a column Of
gold coin ten feet square and i0z feet
and inches high. It is a total of some
thing like three billion dollars
Mr.. Ware had not heard of the trou-
bic which the g. A r. is stirring up
for Governor Bailey because he unwit-
tingly made the mistake of appointing
an eX-Confederate as justice of the
peace in Manhattan over the applica-
ton of a Union soldier. When the cir
cumstances were told to the commits
sioner of pensions he laughed heartily.
That's a joke on Bailey he said
/ .'Of course he may not have meant to
make sucn a mistake. but You will no.
tice that the governors in the southern
states never make the mistake of ap-
pointing an ex-Union soldier to any