The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-07
AT THE CAPITAL.
Washington Laughs at New
Vernon Story.
Brilliant Negro Official Not
After Scott's Place.
IS SATISFIED NOW.
Appreciates Hard Fight Made
for Him.
Present Position Offers Him
Splendid Opportunities.

Washington, Jan. The story that
Dr. William T. Vernon of Quindaro.
Kansas, the noted negro orator, who is
now register of the treasury. is con-
templating a congressional career. and
would like to succeed Charles F. Scott
In the house of representatives is SO
silly as scarcely to deserve attention.
Yet, because of it's publication here.
and by a Topeka morning newspaper as
a serious Washington dispatch, there
mas been considerable attention given
the story.
DR.. Vernon is not in the city at pres
ent. He is in Kentucky, making some
addresses. He left here a week ago
The story originally was rtinted in a
morning Washington newspaper, a new
paper, which is making strong efforts
to rival the well-establtshed Washing
ton Post. After being discussed here
a day or two, more or less seriously the
Washington correspondent of a Topeka
morning newspaper wrote an elaborat e
piece about Vernon's prospective can
didacy, treating it in a serious vein,
and sent it to his paper
Vernon is content with his present
job He likes it, He appreciates the
desperate fight that was made by SEN
ator Long and the Kansas delegation
to land him. He knows it will give him
an excellent noortunity for the next
AOuF years. 1t pldceS MIN nearly at the
head of noted negroes of the country.
with the possible exception of Booker
T. Washington. 1t is a distinct recog-
milton of the advancement of the negro.
DR.. Vernon has often expressed himself
as above indicated. Therefore the silh-
ness of the story of congressional as
piration.
Or. Vernon has been very modest
and unassuming since his preferment.
He has said that his desire is to hold
&c DEF For tod Of f@,r
at least; make q good official; under
stand the duties of his office keep in
touch with the administration and the
officials of the government; save as
much of his liberal salary as possible;
go about the country as occasion may
demand or permit, taking a message to
his people; keep closely associated with
his old school at Quindaro and with the
state of Kansas; and then go back to
the work for his people and the up
building of his institution. DR. Vernon
was telling Kansan just the other
day what his ambition was, and he
mentioned these things. The point to it
all is that Dr. Vernon hopes to be of
assistance to his race as a result of
his four years at least of officeholdiT45
in Washington.
Vernon is held in esteem and re-
spect by officials of the treasury de-
partment in which he is head of
bureau. There is no great load to
carry in holding down the Office of
register of the treasury. The man at
the head of that bureau has respon-
sibility, of course, and great deal of
important work passes through his
desk. But previous negro registers
have largely permitted clerks and as
sistants to do what ever work there is
to do and have rested, made speeches
abroad, or simply been ornaments in
the department. Not SO with Vernon
The first thing he did was to set to
work to learn all that transpired in
his bureau. He went the rounds of
the various divisions, and talked with
clerks as to their duties. Now he
knows just what is done in his office,
and has made some changes which are
creditable. All this has been observed
by the treasury department officials
OF course there is time for DR.. Yer
non to go out and make addresses.
The register of the treasury, usually
negro, is generally an official who is
bright capable, and able to go forth
and speak to his race with some SEM
blance of authority-in other words,
to take messages from the national
administration. This is what DR.. Yer
non has been doing to a considerable
extent since he entered Office seven
also was a useful man, particularly in
Kansas
But the point to all this is that Dr.
Vernon has no congressional ambition,
and is Just as modest a man as he was
before he secured his present office,
with which he is abundantly satisfied.
and securing which, and its attendant
difficulties, he greatly appreciates.