The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-09-08
MAY BE KANSAN
John p. Harrison Likely to Sue.
coed Frank e. Mcmillan.
Position Is That of Chief POST
office Inspector.
PLACE WAS COCHRAN'S
Promoted But. Last Deco mber
PLACE WAS COCHRAN's
Promoted But. Last Deco mber
Was Reduced to Ranks.
Kansans at Washington Inter.
ested in a Chinese Girl.

1 days appoint a successor to Frank E
Mcmillan, chief postoff1ce Inspector
Who recently resigned to accept a posi-
ton with trus. company in New York
It is understood the new chief inspec-
tor will be empowered to make drastic
changes III the reorganization of the
department throughout the country.
i The chief inspector of the department
| Is in charge of the local inspectors, and
| has supervision over the inspectors sta
| toned throughout the country. In re-
| cent years these agents have come TO
have more and more to say in regard
TO the patronage of the department.,
| ard the growth in the appointing power
| that comes directly from the postmas-
ter general has been viewed with alarm
by congressman in all sections, who
see in the change great curtallment
| of their influence in local appointments.
J Under the present conditions the in
spectors are given authority to inquire
among the citizens OF every town as TO
the standing of the postmasters, and
| 1eappoirtuents are already largely
based on the nature of their repre-
| sensations. And as the chief inspector
dictates the duties, arranges the as
signments. and generally DEGREES what
methods shall be pursued by the vari-
Gus inspectors. much interest natural
| ly is being manifested by congressman
W no for years have relied upon the
DOStOTT1Ce department lOT rural ALCC AO~
| livery and postoff1ce appointments IN
| their various states. They feel that 1t
| is to their interest that man wholly
| impartial and a nOnpartisan politician
st ould be selected for the position. For
should the Office by chance fall to a
schemiag politician grave results would
result from his management OF the IN
spectors under him. it is argued
John r. Harrison, of Kansas, in
spector in charge of the Washington
division of the postoffice department.,
is being mentioned in connection with
| the appointment OF chief inspector.
Mr.. Harrison has made an admirable
record since entering this branch of
the service, particularly when he was
assigned to the Kansas City division.
He was transferred to the Washing
ton division last December, and has
made good here.
The chief inspectorship was held
for many years by a Kansan-W. E.
Cochran, of Topeka, who is now as
signed to the Denver division. When
the office of purchasing agent for the
postoffice was created Mr.. Cochran
was appointed. His salary In that
position was $4,000 per annum Last
December he was succeeded in the
position by DIR. Holmes, private sec
retary to Postmaster General Meyer,
and reduced to the ranks OF private
Inspector and assigned to the Denver
division. His present salary is $4,000.
Just why Mr.. Cochran was denoted.
in position has never been learned.
The salary of chief postoff1ce IN
spector is $500 year
William H. Baker, a clerk in the
treasury department, and his wife, Mrs..
Abbie G. Baker, who are from Bort
Scott Kan. are active in a mission for
teaching Chinese children in Washing
ton They have taken a particular IN
terest in Ngou Flung, a young Chinese
girl slave, who has stirred the national
capital city and New York lately. The
Bakers took an interest in Ngou Flung
from the time of her arrival here from
San Francisco early in March, 1905.
The child had been turned over to Ung
Wah a wealthy Chinese merchant of
this city and he is now being held by
the authorities for investigation. ING
Wah is forty years old, and then had
his wife. about nineteen years old,
known to the Bakers, went to them and
said:
Now there is something strange. II
am nineteen and I have a girl twelve
years old. My husband has given her
to me. saying she is the daughter of his
first wife, who died in China"
Mrs ING Wah did hot relish the ap-
pearance of Ngou Flung, and soon dis
appeared having returned to China, ac-
cording to her husbands statements.
The Bakers offered to find Ameri-
can home for the girl and have her
educated, or take her into their own
home.
sUng Wah became angry at this"
Mr. Baker said, land told US that If any
one tried to educate his daughter he
was going to send her to the Chinese
legation. where she could learn to be a
cook, and we could not get at her"