The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-28
WONT GIVE IT up
Preparation in Senate to Resist
Pension Agency Plan.
Senator Long Will Try to De-
feat Measure.
TOPEKA THE LARGEST.
Pays More Pensions Than ANY
of the Offices.
TOPEKA THE LARGEST.
Congressman Campbell Makes a
Speech on the Question.

Washington, Jan. 2S.-Prepartion
| is being made in the senate to resist
the action taken by the house of rep
resentatives in doing away with all
pension agencies to the end that the
work of the present eighteen agencies
be hereafter transacted from one
agency in this city.
Senator Long is paying considerable
attention to the subject, and the least
concession that he will be prepared to
make when the matter comes to the
senate Will be the recommendation or
the commissioner of pensions that the
number of agencies be reduced from
eighteen to nine. This would combine
\ the Des Moines agency, which consists
of the states of Iowa and Nebraska,
with the Topeka agency, which COM
prises Kansas, Missouri. Colorado, and
the to be state of Oklahoma. Senator
Long thinks this might be reason
able and just proposition; but he
thinks that the business of paying
pensioners will not be bettered or It's
expenses reduced by cutting out the
Topeka and other agencies.
Topeka leads the list of all agencies
in the country for volume of business
transacted. 1t has the largest num-
Der of pensioners within its borders;
and last year II millions OF dollars
We're discussed. In case of errors, or
change of address, or anything OF the
kind, quicker and more effective cor
rection may be made from a local
agency than could be the case with
but one office, and that here.
Representative P. p. Campbell came
to the rescue of the Topeka agency
when the debate was up in the house,
and was the only Kansas memper SO
to do Among other things, Mr.. Camp
bel said:
Mr. Chairman. if the government
could save the amount of $500 OO
year. as suggested by the gentleman
from Missouri (Mr. Tawney), there
might be some reason for this leglsla-
ton, even upon an appropriation blll;
but the contention is that TINS amouIil
of money can be saved by having the
work done in Washington My ex-
perience here has not extended over a !
great many years, but in those rev
years 1 have seen nothing zone ~ |
Washington more cheaply than 1t can !
be done elsewhere in the country. me
agency at Topeka Kan. is today pay
ing pensions at the rate OF Az cents
per man. I doubt if the consolidated
agencies all located here in one ONCE |
can paw for IS cents per man.
I'm addition to that, the clerks dong
this work now out in the country, OF
whom understand there are about 4Uo'
are many of them, settled in their own
homes. They live more cheaply there
than they can live in Washington.
They are not now knocking at the
doors of congress for shorter hours ano
more pay out in Topeka. nor out in
Pittsburg, Pa, nor elsewhere IN the
country; but if you move that addition
al number of men to Washington, you
at once increase the amount OF tnelF
expense without increasing the amount
of work they do or their capacity to 90
work. 1t has happened that in the city
of Topeka where the largest agency
in the country exists, young men, col
lege students, have been called in on
DAYS when there is a great amount or
work to be done to assist in that work.
They are not put on the regular rolls
they have no intention of becoming !
,vN10 nd raf
of business they have done the work
without being put on the regular rolls.
If you put a man on the pay roll 1of
one day here in Washington in one
month, he will want two days the next
month, and the next month he Will be
found ousting a regular employe of
the government"
Mr.. Sullivan: May / ask the gentle |
made a question:"
Mr.. Campbell of Kansas: Certain |
ly''
Mr. Sullivan: "I would like to ask
the gentleman if he favors the CONSOLE !
dalton of the nine agencies but opposes
the consolidation of all of them?'
Mr. Campbell of Kansas. 81 do not |
favor the consolidation of the nine. 1 /
favor the plan under which we have /
been operating all these years. 1 may !;
be pardoned, Mr.. Chairman, If l say, in
passing and in further answer to the /
gentleman from Massachusetts, that |
comes with but little force. This was /
attempted on yesterday by the gentle +
man from Massachusetts (Mr. Sulli- /
van). All of these employees, with the |
exception of some eighteen men, are |
under the civil service and are in no !
way affected by party action. 1 can |
not see how party interest is in any |
way conserved by either the abolition |
or maintenance of these agencies. 1t |
would seem that the picking for the |
Democracy was getting rather short |
when it becomes necessary to attack |
the maintenance of these pension |
agencies on political grounds. 1 sin |
cerely hope that the amendment of |
the gentleman from Michigan will not |
prevail and the amendment of the /
gentleman from Pennsylvania will |
prevail.
1T is not successfully denied that |
the veterans will be inconvenienced by |
the consolidation contemplated here |
Every cow ,nience for their benefit /
should be maintained. These agencies
that were established to help in the |
distribution of their quarterly pensions /
should not at this time be abolished or
consolidated into one at Washington |