The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-31
HAVEN'T GIVEN up
Effort to Have One Pension
Agency at Topeka.
Will Be Carried to Floor of
Senate.
MIR. KEIFER'S FIGURES
Tells How the Offices Are
Conducted.
Kansas Makes Best Showing Of
Thar, All
MIR. KEIFER'S FIGURES
Kansas Makes Best Showing of
Them All.

Washington, March 31.-If by chance
the senate committee on pensions de-
clines to restore the various pension
agencies in the general pension appro-
priation bill. strong effort will be
made on the floor of the senate by the
Kansas senators to have the console
dated agency located at Topeka, instead
Of at Washington, as is now provided
in the bill as it passed the house. In
addition, the house members from
Kansas will use their influence with
senators to bring about this end.
When Congressman Keifer of Ohio
and other members were making a
strong showing why the various PEN
sion agencies should be consolidated
into one general agency for the pay
ment of pensions, Congressman D. R.
Anthony was first to champion the es-
Establishment of such an agency at To-
peka.
the different pension agencies said
General Keifer, varies from 1917 at
the Concord agency, the smallest, to
111,50S at the Topeka agency, the larg-
est. The disbursements at the former
We're, first fiscal year, $2,562, 525.25, and
at the latter SIS, S07, $685. pa
Continuing General Keifer said: THE
salary, clerk hire. and contingent ex-
penses. at each Of the following pension
agencies in last Q907) fiscal year was:
At Augusta, 76 cents; Concord, 7712
cents; Detroit, So cents; Columbia, 4514
cents; Topeka, 421a cents; Philadelphia,
So cents; Pittsburg, 5614 cents; Chicago,
Sly cents; New York. 65 cents. 1t will
be noted that generally the larger the
agency the less it costs to maintain 1t.
THE cost for clerk hire alone in the
last fiscal year in paying a pensioner
at the Augusta agency was So cents,
at Concord so cents, and at Detroit Al
cents, while at the Columbus agency it
was 40 cents, and at the Topeka agency
1t was SO cents, at the Philadelphia
agency Asa cents, at the Pittsburg
agency 46A cents, at the Chicago
agency 421A cents, at the Knoxville
agency 441z cents, and at the Washing
ton agency At cents.
There was paid at the Topeka
agency the last fiscal year III, sos pen
sioners, which was in excess of those
paid in the four agencies Of Augusta
Concord, Detroit and Louisville by
10,549. The number of pensioners (95,-
S2s) paid at Columbus agency exceeds
Concord Q6,53S), and the Louisville
(27,544 agencies by "a, 449."
II would like to ask the gentleman
from Ohio if the logic of the figures
which he has just quoted does moi
show that in this consolidation plar
the combined agency should be loca-
ted at Topeka, instead of at Wash
ington," interrupted Congressman
Anthony.
General Keifer replied: ST would
agree with the gentleman from Kan
sas if it were not for the war depart
ment and the books and papers con-
nected with the soldiers and sailors
being located in this city. 1 want to
add in answer, that I am perfectly
certain, having gone over this care
fully, that we could transfer the agent
at Topeka and less number of clerks
they have there and put them in the
pension bureau here and discharge
seventeen agents, including that one
in Washington, with all the chief
clerks, and we could still pay all the
pensioners with as much promptness
and with as much regularity as they
have been paid and are being paid
now"
Congressman Anthony insisted thai
if there must be a consolidation OF
these agencies the general paying
agency should be located at Topeka
1t was at this stage that Congress
men Campbell and Reeder entered the
debate and supported Mr.. Anthony's
contention.