Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-08-30
TANNER ENDORSED.
Ills Administration Satisfactory to
the National Encampment.
s LONG AND SPIRITED DEBATE

& LONG AND SPIRITED DEBATE
The Only Question Was 90 she Best
Manner Of Expressing Confidence In
she Integrity Of the Pension Commits
sIoner--UEghta Of Marine Members Dis
cnssod--FestivItIe on Memorial Day
Deprecated-An Appropriation for Gen.
Grants cottage-Ths Ladies' Strip
Hornets Nest.
MILWAUKEE, Aug. 30.-Corporal Tan
ner pre-empted goodiy portion of the
two sessions Of the Grand Army en-
campment. The morning session had
barely been called to order when Con-
gresham Perkins, of Kansas, claimed
the recognition OF the chair for a reso-
luton By which the encampment
heartily thanked the administration of
President Harrison for the honor it had
conferred upon the Grand Army in APP
pointing Corporal Tanner as commits
sioner Of pensions: indorsing his man
agement OF the bureau that had been
created for the benefit OF the soldiers
and sailors Of the war, and denouncing
the bitter and malignant criticisms of
portion of the press upon his official con-
duct.
Gen. Rarnum OFFERS a Substitute.
Applause greeted the resolution but
Gen. Barnum. Of New York, was
quickly upon his feet with substitute,
declaring that Notwithstanding the as
saults OF an an unfriendly press the en-
campment declared its belief In the i'm
tegrity Of the commissioner and ex-
pressed its approval of his efforts to do
all for the soldiers and sailors of the
country that the laws allowed. 1t sug-
gested however, that committee
should be appointed to investigate the
workings of the pension office.
An animated discussion of three hours
duration ensued. Comrade Campbell,
Of Kansas, voiced the general sentiment
as expressed by score Of delegates in
the following language:
Comrade campbelI's Sentiments.
For fifteen years we have declared,
and others have been uttering, q senti-
ment that the country can never pay
the debt due to the old soldiers, but
Corporal Tanner is the first officer that
has made that sentiment upon q practi-
cal reality. believe it is the high duty
of this encampment TO sustain him in
working out that sentiment If the
Grand Army of the Republic ever had
q duty to perform, looking neither to
the right nor to the left, to the commit
tee that is investigating the workings of
the pension bureau or to the commits
sloner himself it is now, and we ought
to pass this resolution. The substitute
differs with Ii In only one particular.
IL expresses O belief in the integrity of
Commissioner Tanner, and would not
influence the action of the committee
charged with the investigation.
Make the Endorsement strong Enough.
ut may be better than an indorse-
ment like that offered in the original
resolution, but we should make our i'm
dorsement strong enough. The original
resolution expresses our sentiments ex-
actly. If Tanner is dishonest or has
done any criminal act we will find it
out when the committee makes its re-
port The presumption of law is that
every man Is innocent until he Is proved
guilty, and as far as | am concerned /
will make that presumption go to the
fullest extent in this case.
wouIdn't Harm Hair Of His Head.
In the debate that followed one dele
gate declared that he would not dare to
20 back TO the soldiers of Minnesota
after harming hair of Tanners head,
any more than to ride through q band
Of Sioux Indians with their war paint
on. The encampment, he urged, should
stand by Tanner until something wrong
had been proven against him.
Cen. Wagner, Of Philadelphia, took
the ground that both resolution and sub
stitute was a club in the hands of Tan
ners enemies. The encampment ought
not to force the administration to sus-
pend d necessary investigation.
The Charges Against Tanner
Another delegate in the course of a
lengthy speech, said: Il was in Wash
inrton last week, and / heard it charged
upon the streets and everywhere else,
that men employed in the bureau were
all getting their cases made special and
taken mp Immediately and rerated much
higher, while the poor devils of the rank
and file have to stand back and wait. /
told them it was a lie. but if he has done
that and we pass the original resolution,
we Endorse such action on his part. The
substitute il broad enough.
This encampment knew nothing Of
the detail of Tanners work and cannot
pass Judgment upon it We may be-
lieve il is all right, bat we do not know
1t. lie we pass the original resolution
and the committee Of investigation
should exonerate him, the opposition
press would say that the administration
dare not oppose the Grand Army of the
Republic and they would have good rea-
son to say it.
Corporal Tanner Takes tile Floor.
Corporal Tanner him elf took the floor
at this point and lii an imprisoned
speech declared that lie not only
courted. but demanded an inyestiga-
ton of his administration Of the pension
department.
Ultimately the substitute Of Gen. Bar
mum was amended to read as follows:
That we thank the president OF the United
States for the appointment Of our comrade
James Tanner as commissioner Of pensions.
and that outstanding the assaults upon
him. we declare our compete confidence In
his integrity and our approval Of his avowed