Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-09-13
HISTORY OF THE DIFFICULTY
An Oncial Statement Of the Trouble D.
the Banafnn nuira

An on'ci"I Statement Of the Trouble in
the Pension once.
The following statement OF the beginning
and end Of the Tanner difficulty is official
and thoroughly verified In every respect
Before bis departure from Washington City
for his vacation trip, Secretary Noble ON
several occasions spoke Ia the president
about the course Of Commissioner Tanner
and his clerks in the matter of re-ratinC pen
sioners aud also in relation to unguarded re-
marks which the commissioner had made
from time 10 time. The president was i'm
clined To defend Mr. Tanner, and he did so
several times.
Eject Of Tanners Speeches
Recently Mr. Tanner made speeches at FL
mira, Chautauqna aud Milwaukee which
called forth strong protests from prominent
Republicans. Directly after the Milwaukee
incident Secretary Noble returned To this
city determined To brius, t,,., Tann.r matter
To "a climax. He put his views before the
president ia n very positive manner
senator Hi-cock's Advice.
On Tuesday Senator Hiscock, Of New
York, who had been talking with the presi-
dent about the matter. and who had learned
from INN that 1t was likely to come to a
climax. went to Commissioner Tanner
without authority from the president, how
overland suid that the commissioner would
better resign his office, rs, If hs did not, he
would h. remove,l
Marshal RnnsdeIl Talks To Tanner.
"Wednesday evening about 9 o'clock DAM el
Ransdrll, marshal Of the District at Col
umbin, aud particular friend of the presi-
dent, went tn Mr.. Tanners honse and in
his private capacity, rs he explained to the
commissioner, suggested that MIR Tanner
would better relieve the president at the
difficulty ~ which he found himself placed
by resigning. He told the commissioner
that the president had been his consistent
friend, and that he had shown it when he
gave him the Office To which he was appoint
ed, and nfterwnrd when he defended his
course
The Commissioner Succumbs.
The commissioner said that he appreciated
this fact but Tor time he was quite firm in
his determination To force the president to
choose between removing him and leaving
him in office. Shortly before midnight,
however, he gave in, and agreed tn write his
resignation, and placed it then and there in
the hands of Mr.. Ransdell
Secretary HsIford,s Contribution.
Private cretary HaIford, in an inter-
reports Of tho conference here Wednesday
over the Tanner case, and OF newspaper
statements bearing on the attitude OF Secre-
tary Noble in the matter, that have appeared
from time To time, said: "You know the
president Is not believer in much talk, and
don't like TO say anything about the PEN
sion office matter, but there are one or two
mlsstatements that ought tn be- corrected No
issue was ever made by SacretarT Nohla IN
the president as to whsthsr he or Mr.. Tan
ner should go. Next there was never any
formal cabinet consul ltation about the mat
tsr and there was no disagreement whatever
among the members, much less any ex-
change OF incivilities- The president had
several times during the summer made sug-
gestions TO M. Tanner which he hoped
would have good effect, as he feels very
kindly to him personally. The question was
not at all ia the presidents mind whether
oneiof the two persons should go"