New-York tribune., 1889-10-19
SECRETARY NOBLE on PENSION MATTERS
HIS FIRST LETTER TO COMMISSIONER TANNER
MADE PUBLIC.

Washington, oct. 1s.-The first letter Of Secretary
Noble dated July "a, 10 Commissioner Tanner upon
the subject Of the rerating of pensions made
public to-day. Secretary Noble at once makes clear
the rotations between his office and that OF the Com
missioner of Pensions when he declares that it will
not do to say that the secretary may not stop the
execution of any orders obviously Illegal and arbitrary
II II wore attempted by Commissioner of Pensions
in other than cases OF permanent specific disabilities
to increase pensions and 10 allow the accumulated
increase of years TO be paid over at once and in a
gross sum- IL would not do 10 say that the Secretary
could only refer this back to the Commissioner with
word OF advice and take steps either recover tho
money thus improperly paid out, correct the evil
thus attempted to be done; that he could not even
call halt Tho Secretary says he is responsible
for the conduct Of the Commissioner, and has the
same Jurisdiction his bureau other bureaus
of his Department.
The secretary then takes up the "rertingo
cases. ten in number In each case
the claimant was an cmpoye in the Ponsion Bureau,
receiving salary sufficient for his comfortable sub
sIstence There was no reason tho Secretary says
that their cases should be made special rushed
through in advance of all others. On the contrary
there then printed rule that cases should be
made special, except In cases of dcsttuton or when
the applicant at the point Of death Yet these
cases all hurried through by your order while
hundreds of thousands Of other pensioners await
ing their first bounty from the Government 1t is
in regard 10 such cases as these" the Secretary
writes, that you have thought the Commissioner
alone call halt; and In regard TO which the
secretary proposes 10 call halt, long enough at
least for inspection"
The secretary Then considers the case of Frank A.
Butts principal examiner In the Pension Oico, for
whose alleged disability from maiarial poisoning the
pension was increased from 81 90 per month from
August /, 1865, TO Sl7 per month from ha dac, and
.D- f.fuI Iinppn f.t Nd
The SECRETARY declares that this action was against
the practice of tho Department, which holds that
ratings long since fixed should not be disturbed, eA
cept upon proof that there was mistake III the
former action. Z" 1t is all evident" he says,
that there a mistake The whole proceeding
looks like arbitrary increase Of his pension 1he
secretary makus the objection 10 the acton with
regard TO the medical certificates on file IN this
case This and other cases discussed which convince
the Secretary that he may well call halt uh'il
these cases be carefully examined. III
conclusion the secretary says
1t is not the aues ton what may yet and hereafter
10 found out about these The question Is,
what should have been done upon the record as II
Stood whom the judgment was rendered. anu 'nc
mpOrta auco of this question arises 1lOl inc chcCI ~
may have upon the course of procedure thar VIII
afeG,, ii It goes unchecked ana uhIehcdIeI' u4o
vast sums oil money at the command OF the Govern
ment If sums of money may be granted without
any further consideration OF FACT or Ia" uiah scol9
TO have been given In these cases, II VIII dcpehu
solely upon a single officers disp0sition "ne,hct tho
rcsoirces of the Government shall be suncieni lOr
its mantenance or not There are more than cnou gh
of these applications already In tho held, ana lhcI'a
ing daily TO exhaust indeed tho surplus, ana AN III
formed that the applications for re-lalnSs are sd
ON the increase, and now reach the amount oil rom
1000 To 5000 week. ,., ,,.
| do not ask nor desire re-examinaton But
what | insist upon is that there shall be a recon-
s,dcration of these allowances on record, ana mar any
further allowance for them that may be madc shih
he made in due course of proceedings upon ne" ap
plcaion, new evidence and without any aNahCo-
iment of the cases before those OF others equauy
meritOrious.