Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-09-16

TENSIONS AND THE PUBLIC DEBT
CORPORAL TANNERS regime, brief
though if ives. hiss turned the financial
erl of the Government upside down. Dur
ing the brief span he was in office theyear-
D. pension payments were increased ever
$4,000 600, and TANNER said that be had
not decided whether 20 ask for $4,000
600 or Sis. 100000 for next year TAN
SER' policy is the policy the Republican
party. In is platforms, is committed
10. Inayear or two, with the dependent
pension bin, the service pension bin, the
enlargement Of the scope Of acts CT Con-
g1e-s, ald O R.pnbican administration
bidding for tie Soldier vote, " il. is I'M
likely that $50 600, 600 viii more than
cover the pension payments. Now, the
interest on the public debt in 1s79-ten
years sg9-was SOS. 327, 9l9, and the pen
sion pawn ents $35. 12l ls2. 10 1ss9-ten
wears laier-ths interest on the public
debt. exclusive Of interest on the Pacific
Rulroad bonds is 31117,563, and the
pension payments Sl030O0OOO Thus it
win be- seen that pensions have increased
as feet az The public debt has been de-
creased. The latter can only be reduced
s31 goo 600 more, and in little while
under the present pension policy, the yearly
payne Is must reach $3.50 100000. This
alone. wil represent, capitalized az
g rer cent, g national debt Of
five billions Of dollars ,S5O00,
100000 And this $1,000 O00,0 200 would
represent yearly tax Of over $500 every
man. woman and child m the United
States The highest point the interest
bearing debt Of the United States ever
reached was 81. ISL. $50 29l in ls65, so, it
win be- seen, that this is practically more
than doubling our public debt at the
highest point 10 ever reached-at the close
of the war;
How did TANNER in so shor, time &C.
compEsh theeaormous increase Of pension
paymenis2 By simply ignoring the law,
increasing. OF rerating pensions right and
left. allowing bis clerks 10 dose, also, and
by giving pensions to everybody that ask
cd. Secretary NOBLE. who was more
nearly responsible for the administration
of the Pension Office than the President
since it comes under the supervision Of
the Interior Department, did an be could
to- hold TANNER in check, issuing restrain
ire orders and reversing his decisions. But
10 was Of no avail. TANNER simply ig-
norad Secretary NOBLE and his orders
stating that he was the choice Of the c..
Ar. had that organization back Of him
and that NOBLE might 20 to the
dogs. To protect himself NOBLE ap-
pointed "a committee 20 investigate
Tanners administration. The work of
the committee was secret. It dually came
20 the issue that either TANNER must 80
or Secretary NOBLE would resign and JUS
ufy his resignation by publishing the re-
DOT. Of the investigating committee The
alternative being put to the President, he
concluded to brave the pension grabbeIs
and gei rid Of TANNER.
Probably the most outrageous abuse OF
the law by TANNER was that by which
numerous clerks and subOrdinatss in the
Pension Office have re-rated one another.
The following examples are published by
The New York World.
Captain Henry Phillips was Chief Of the
Middle Division Of the Patent Office at q
salary Of $1,000, aud received a rerating Of
So 500, whereupon he celebrated by giyiHg
a banquet 90 his lellow-cierks, at which
Tanner himself was present. Phillips
good luck was shared hy Frank A. Butts,
Chief of the Army and Navy Division.
who received s. 900; by W. J. Hillgoss.
Chief of the Eastern Division, 81. zoo; by
Capt Smith, of the Certificate Division.
- OOO. and By Capt Edward Engsl. 81 600.
A few weeks ago Ihs World charged
that Tanner had paid cut upon a single
series of warrants and within a few days,
more than S75 600 10 eleven reraies pen
sion cases. Prominent among these cases