The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-07-24
TANNER ON PENSIONS.
SOME DEMOCRATIC LIES vIGOR-
OUSLY DENOUNCED.


Any ss-a-Month Pensioners-says the
President Is Satisfied with His Course.
Corporal Tanner, Commissioner of
Pensions, was interviewed by a Chicago
reporter while in that city recently, to
whom he said:
There are one or two things that
want TO say, and may as we'll say them
right here in Chicago. / expected TO get
my share OF Democratic abuse, but when
1t comes to malicious lying am going to
protest. Yesterday morning saw por-
ton OF an interview printed in a Chicago
paper that ii is said some reporter had
with me. Here is the extract" and the
Commissioner produced the following
which he read to several in The room, the
Il referring to the Commissioner:
For years l have advocated on the
stump and at Grand Army camp-fi fires the
passage by Congress of service pension
bill, giving every soldier and sailor a
pension. l am thoroughly committed to
this policy, and don't see how / can go
back on 1T, though now that have be-
come Pension Examiner and have looked
the whole thing up, / find the service
pension bill would bankrupt the Treas
ury. I'd rather resign than face the old
soldiers after going back on the service
pension bill, and if as Pension Commits
sioner, recommend that bill to Congress
I'll make myself ridiculous How am /
to get out of it?
How am l to get out of it? That al
legged interview is a malicious lie 1t is
Democratic shot from the party that
has been making me the Republican butt
ever since the Inauguration, and protest
against it. Not only is it lie on its
face. but any one who knows NE knows
it is lie. Don't hundreds of people
know that as member of the G.. A. II.
Pension Committee / made a decided
speech against the proposed service bill
in February of last year at Springfield.
Didn't II" addressing some of his hearers.
you did that, responded two or three
And why was it | was opposed so Bit
terly by the c. A. II. posts of New York?
Wholly because of my opposition 10 the
service pension bill. To make a thing
work both ways against a man is pretty
rough"
Il wish Also" said the Commissioner.
TO pay my respects TO those who are try
ing 20 erect n bulwark between Gener Il
Black and myself General Black was a
gallant soldier, who suffered the most
horrible wounds, and whose administra-
ton of the Pension Office was under the
most Instantaneous circumstances. He
to conduct, for he was made subordinate
to Mr. Lamar, and yet during all that
time Lamar never signed pens ion
granted. He did take enough interest in
the Office, though. TO put six of his rea-
tives in it, General Black Is good friend
of mine, and newspaper gossip cannot
make us other.
1T is not true, then, that you found
certain pol teal letters of his on assum-
ing control of the office?-
NO letter OF General Blacks ever
came into my hands, and if it had l
should have done the only thing for any
gentleman 10 do-sent il to him dire city. "
Mr.. Tanner said there had been so
much fault found with him and h 5 de-
partment by various papers and people
that he went to see the President about
it few days ago.
Go right ahead, was General Harri-
sons suggestion; you are doing all
right.
The Presidents view of the pension
matter can be stated in a few words, "
said the Commissioner He believes in
pension for every soldier or sailor who
needs one.
While in Chicago, Commissioner Tan
ner was rendered II reception by the con-
solidated q. A. Il. posts, and delivered
a short speech.
We don't want the earth, he said re-
ferring to the soldiers but we will never
be satisfied with -. 80 a month. When
say this l say 1T rs n cold and real fact.
The second day | was in the Pension De-
partment over 100 pensions, valued ut -
a month, were brought to me for my sig
nature. l am too valuable a man to be
signing pensions at 80 cents a week.
hot no
pension sent out from our department
calling for less than 81 n month. and
none shall while occupy the chief posi-
tion. Some of our observing friends are
fearful that l am going to reduce
the surplus bv this extravaganza
practice. But they need have no
fears. / am going to keep within the
law. Each OF these men who are drawing
81 month must go before the board and
be examined, and if that board does not
adjudge him injured to the extent of a
a month his name goes Off our rolls. We
don't want any 81 month pensioners.
/ realize that circumstances have driven
me into many of the situations that are
so severely criticised. There are some
who think / am right, and at least have
the support of General Harrison and
many of the heads of departments, who
it, with the assistance of General Harri-
son aud the law. / can not claim to rep
resent the views of any one gentleman
but YOU will find n wonderful unanimity
among the government officials on these
pension matters, and | know ! Mt least
express their views when l say they are all
decided on pension for every deserving
man"
The Commissioner then spoke of some
of the many touching appeals that cameitc
him each day, but which he could not al
ways grant.
You must remember the mighty bur.
den carried by the department, When
assumed control of the Pension Depart
ment. found over quarter of million
unadjudica ed pensions on hand that hac
never been touched. In almost ever,
case some home of poverty aud misery
was involved. / know / am not educated
my gifts are poor enough; l have no sci
entitic knowledge, bat in these latter days
of my career l thank God for som'
things. 1t has been given to me to som,
extent to transmute the idle wealth of tn,
country into the golden coin that shall
gladden. and brighten many dark an,
poverty stricken homo, from which wen
out the patriotism and the courage tina
maintained the glory of a nation. Yo'
know what this means when / say tina
my mail averages 200 letters day.