The Louisiana Democrat., 1889-06-12
QUEER PENSION RULINGS.
Good Times for Pension sharks-ho" '"
Co. Ri' of tho Surplus.

Good Times Tor PenSlOh ohn' A'
Go. Ri' of tho Surplus.
1t begins to '.-sx rs if the halcyon
days of the Nation tse come 1or the
bigh-tariff men and the pels' on sharks
A short cut TO higher duties Is TO DC
made through custom houses, instead
of by the usual but more roundaoous
method of legislation. Pension Com
missioner Tanner, whose sensiollities
are affected by the discovery that so
small pension as 81 month Is PAID,
declares that he proposes to call in all
pensions lower than 81 month ana
issue them at not less than 81 week.
When he does this generous thing 1t
will be interesting to know what mas
become OF the law under which PEN
sions of less than 81 month were
granted. There has been only one
Democratic Commissioner OF Pensions
since the war of the rebellion. Inc
reflections OF Commissioner Tanner
are, therefore, cast upon long line OF
Republican Commissioners who must
be assured to have been less generous
than Mr., Tanner, or less acute to dis
cover the extent-to which the Commits
sioner could exercise his generosity.
It will also be interesting to observe
4 whether the pension agents will come
in for a share OF Commissioner Ian
ner's generosity. There is the PEN
sion agents commission, and they may
reasonably expect him to do some-
thing to manifest his gratitude for the
high position into which they thrust
him.
If the Pension Office gives notice
that it is prepared to advance the rate
of all pensioners receiving less than
81 a month, it is not at all unlikely
that about that time each of the pen
!. sioners Of the class referred to will re-
ceive notice from claim agent OF his
+ readiness to push his case speedily
through Commissioner Tanners Office
+ If the fee is the usual one, and each O.
, the pensioners now receiving less thar
! a. can be induced to apply for an in
crease, it will be neat little prize o
800. .OO0 1t will show how indiffer
f ent Tanner is to matter OF none.
when patriotism and the pension
(. agents are concerned. The pension
p agents have had their eyes on the sur
y plus for several years. They woul
. be glad to take it, and the wa
that Commissioner Tanner suggest
would be an acceptable one. no doubt
q 1t would be unusual, to say the least
4 for the Pension Office to take up thes
= 70, 1000 cases without solicitation or in
4 tervention, and the pension agen,
n would probably find it too irregular
!. be countenanced.
!. Mr.. Tanner is in favor of sever;
- ! other improvements" that he migf
IF manage to adopt without the approv'
=. of Congress. He would have tt
record of the acceptance OF asold1t
4. regarded as evidence that he WI
70 sound when enlisted, the Governme,
W to be obliged to prove the contrar,
10 He would continue a pension to
N widow or dependent relative, wheth'
I'd the pensioner died of wounds or dl
IN ease resulting from service or not. t
;s would extend the arrears limit to ia
Ia uary /, 1889 or 1883. He would gra
a. pensions to all survivors of reb
he prisons without requiring them
of prove that disability arose from il
,r. prisonment. He would extend sever
classes OF pensions from 25 to near
50 per cent, and would equalize
bounties. Any thing that has t
suggestion to increase in it ought
NC be as grateful to the pension attorne
elf as an epidemic to undertakers. =
ve Y, Times.