Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-10-24
TANNER AGAIN.
Failure Of His Attempt to
Stop Talking.
HE PAYS HIS RESPECTS TO BUS
sEY THIS TIME.
Report That He is Waiting for AIger
It t'O2.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17.-Pension
commissioner Tanner was asked yester.
day afternoon whether he had any,
thing to say respecting the recent de-
clslon OF assistant secretary Bussey.
over-ruling the commissioners order OF
April % last. He said:
lt seems to be necessary in the in-
terest of truth that should pay a little
attention to the honorable assistant sec.
Tetary OF the interior, General CYRUS
bussey, In relation TO the over-ruling OF
my order OF April % in regard to those
pensions rated at less than 81 per
month. AS General Bussey refers 10
me as the late commissioner / NAV
De pardoned for not being unduly hound
by official etiquette.
= II feel less bound by il in the present
instance by reason of the fact that II is
an open secret in departmental circles
mere that the judicial reasons of Judge
bussey are the evOlutions of the mind
OF q gentleman from Kentucky who
was appointed under the late admins
tration on the labor force of the patent
Office, tried before the civil service com
mission of principal examiner in the
pension office, failed to pass and was
afterwards appointed member of the
pension board of appeals i'm the secre.
tary's office, salary $1,000 per annum,
TO sit In judgement on the acts of the
commissioner of pensions.
Having myself seen in his own hand
writing his statements that he is a life
long resident of Kentucky, and for 20
years editor of a Democratic paper. and
his further statement in answer to n
question II he had served in either the
army or navy, that he served in neither
army nor navy, and therefore was par-
tlcularly wei. ll.qualified to do Justice in
a place in the pension office, I am not
surprised that such man should pro-
nounce favorably on the presumed suf-
ficiency of cents day pension for a
veteran who, as result of the contact
win the miasma and foul water of the
sWamps, Is now a sufferer from chronic
dlarrhoea; but what I fail to compre-
mend is how Gen. Bussey came to per-
NIT himself to put his name to such a
decision. :"
HE has little regard for Gen. Harri-
son'sdeclaration last fall, which thrilled
every veterans heart when he said: 1T
IS no time to use the apothecary's scales
Wneh yon come to weigh the services
OF the men who saved the nation,' IF
IL be the gait to weigh out I cents per
day for chronic diarrhoea, l had much
rather Gen. Bussey should be the
Welghmaster and have no assistance
from me.
II don't believe this decision will he
permitted to stand. When thew post
themselves on the power the commits.
sloner has they will see that il too
broadly gives the lie to all our promises
for years past, sent to the pension Of
nee lor copy of Gen. Bussey's decision
ooVerruiing my order of April 25 and
FOUND 1t had been withdrawn. 1 look
Tor revised edition. / larrange Gen.
Biussey for undertaking to put me in a
false position before the public. Such,
at least, is the result of the wording of
ms decision. whether he intended to do
IL or not. He conveys the impression
that the effect of my order of April Is
was to arbitrarily raise all pensioners
on the rolls at less than 81 per month
between $4,000 and 34,O0O) to 81 per
month: On the order clearly
shows to any one who reads it that the
arbitrary part of it and the whole of It
IN TACT referred to cases allowed to and
after March 25-the day took office. / |
determined that l would not offer a |
certlflcate for less than $4 month if | |
nad power to prevent it. l looked into
the law and found that clearly and in
had the power. It is
broadly stated that the ratings fixed bv
me medical boards are subject to revis-
on ny the commissioner. No one will
nteiligently dispute that had
ne power to take up every case rated at
ess than 4 per month and order the
issued 81. I had broadly
leciared my purpose; had nothing to
conceal. saved a vast amount of time
lnu trouble by issuing that order. Then
gave verbal orders that those of the
'3,o0O pensioned at less than ST per
nonth who had an application on file
OF increase, accompanied by q ccrtif-
'ate OF medical examination held with
II year should have their claim adj
usted on that examination and 90 nm
oil. " e0 VII 'iie
Il ordered verbally that all the others
hould be sent an order for a medical
and abide the result on n
Ike oasis. Think most of them would
ave gone up to 81. There is plenty of
aW Tor 1t, Gen. Bussey to the contrary
Notwithstanding.
he says there is no precedent; saws
nat every commissioner who has pre-
eded me has left records of a precedent.
mo When he makes that rash state
neht ne simply succeeds in illliminat-
ng his ignorance"
NOT ANXIOUS TO D1sGoRGE.
The rerated patriots EMPLOYED in tbe
enslon bureau are in state ofneryous
over the report that it is
ne intention of the government to re-
over the back pay rerated by Tanner.
avs the st. Louis Republic capital cor.
The press associations
ave been sending out reports for the
ast few days to the effect that there
re only 20 or q rerated pensioners
ow employed in the pension bnrean
his mistake. There are more than
fty still employed in the pension
ureau and all of them intend to hold
n to their back pay. The lawyers
mong them are figuring on the posi-
llity OF the government being able to
ttach their pensions in future to re-
over the amounts paid them as back
ay under a rerating, and it is said that
here are decisions on both sides.
Ihere Is one very pointed precedent
4 favor of the government Withholding
he pensions. In the case where wild.
W was enormously paid pension from
no date of hor hpoho ~ ~, j;naho.o.o - |