The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-09-27
TANNER WRITES DALZEL.
THE EPIsTLE CONFIDENTIAL BUT
IT GIFTS OUT.

The Corporal Professed To Be TX
ceedingly Anxious That the Screed
Should Not Become Public - The
Way Things Were Run In the PEN
sion Bureau Freely Talked or
ST. LOUIS, Sept GA special to the
Republic from Caldwell, o., gives the fol-
lowing letter. which explains itself. Its
authenticity is fully vouched for:
DEPT. OF THE INTERIOR, BUREAU OF PENSIONS. J
OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER,
WASHINGTON, ID. c., sept. 10, 1889.
To Hon. j. w. DGtzei, Cdlil0eH o.:
lConfdantiall
My DEAR DALzEL-I hava yours of the 10th.
th nix have read all that has been printed as
coming from your lips or pea. For your great
warmth of good feeling thank you from the
bottom of my heart; and now, once for all,
about the deputyShip. l went TO say 10 you
that the President never said one word to me
about you. l cannot come out and say that
publicly. You must not quote, but II
g Gods truth. The one appointed
hrst deputy was from 10 NosleT
couldn't kick. imagine that your keen eye
has caused you to discern, and that YOU are
contemplating the effect in Ohio of two things
recently done IN the pension office. While
recently, mean | practically, went out, for
while am commissioner and viii be until my
successor IS appointed and qualities, am tax
ing no part in the duties OF the office, holding
myself on leave. While commissioner issued
two orders which I thought and still think,
are mighty good ones; first, that the 80. 900 men
on the pension roll at less than 81 a month
should all, unless they had had medical
examination within year, be ordered Tor ex-
animation before their home board, with
view to putting them up TO at least 81 er
month pension or drop them off the rolls, for 1t
was aud is my opinion that for man who Is
worthy Of any pension at all 81 week is small
enough to consider a pension. Ny second order
was that thereafter ia the settlement OF pension
claims the word of a private, IL be was man
of good character and standing, should amount
to as much In ths settlement of claims AS che
word OF man who had perhaps worn the
shoulder straps OF second lieutenant. The act
InE commissioner has revoked both of
these orders, according to the
Washington Post and other papers,
but as he is not a man who dares to say his soul
is his own, ne did so under instructions OF Noble
or Bussey. ! am told this afternoon that the
order revoking my decision 10 small pension
cases has been rescin led but you
see what the spirit is. How under
heavens name are they going to
make the BOYS believe that there is to be no
change in policy. Smith also issued an order
stopping all rerating. He did not object TO II
until after had rerated him and put him up
to S72 for the loss OF his arm and lex,
thereby putting $50 35 in his pocket
held. and still hold that he was clearly
entitled to It, but is il not contemplate that
man who bad that love for him and who had
acquesced cordia ly IN his own case should
now be so pronounced against the rerating OF
the poor-poor devils VINO perhaps
from the effects of malRrial poisoning,
chronic diarrhosa. or some disease OF that Kind,
suffer twice as much as a man does from am
putationi ] want TO say TO you that did not
resign until tne president and secretary had
both said to me in the same minute that the
completed report of the investi cation com
mittee, which lay before them, contained
no word which could impeach the honesty
Of my action in the slightest degree Tnen
had TO consider whether was man epough TO
decline TO continue in q position where l knew
my immediate official superiors did not desire
me even coHcading tbat j could
stay against their wishes, which is not all
true. have not this slightest doubt
but that would have been removed IL had
not resigned; IN fact. / knowit Noble had GER
tainly pronounced his ultlmatum TO be my head
or his resignation. OF course a break In bis
cabinet would have embarrassed Harrison
greatly. Now that have completed the report,
and have gone through it carefully and
thoroughly say to you as one whose good
o7inion value, that all under heaven thy can
charge me with is too much liberality and too
rnnch speed Ia the granting OF pensions
think you will agree with me that We have had
impecuniosity and parsimony enough; so that
it would take more than six months OF my time
10 bring it up to decent average. or the
future / know nothing. IL the boys, particu-
larly those in Ohio, acquiesce, why it is safe to
say that Tanner will be left where he is--in the
soup. Among the promotions announced ia the
pension Office, night before last, is that of Har-
rison T. Bruce of Colorado to be mem
Der of the board of pensions appeals
in the secretary's office at $1,000 year.
He had been detailed for duty 10 the secre-
tary's Office for some months, and was ap-
pointed by the Secretary one OF the commits
sioners which investigated the pension office.
Don't YOU think 10 would have looked little
better If they had waited at least until had
passed out Of official life before they promoted
MIN?
Some viii be cynical enough to reflect upon
the cause and effect-service and reward. With
all my heart, very truly yours,
JAMES TANNER.
p ST. have written you with great free
dom. Don't give me any cause to regret 1t by
saving ANYTHING about this letter. 1t is to you