Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1889-10-17
THE PENSIONS MIDDLE,
A Spicy Statement From the
Interior Department.
NOBLE GETS BACK AT TANNER
The Corporal's Reply-The Legend
of the Pot and Kettle Called
to Mind.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HnRALD.

Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD.
WASHINGTON, October 16.--A state.
ment prepared at the Interior Depart.
ment in support Of the action OF
Secretary Noble, in resembling Com
missioner Tanners order advanc-
ing pensions from So to 81 per
month in certain cases, was given
out tonight. 1t calls attention to section
4, $685., Revised Statutes, providing that
except in cases of permanent specific
disabilities, no increase of pension shall
be allowed to commence prior to the date
of the examining surgeons certificate,
etc., and enters at length into the consid-
Grafton of the various degrees of disabil-
ity and the reason for having allowed the
81 pension.
eff, now, by the order of the Commits.
sioner," says the statement, without
regard to medical examination, man
who has been receiving 50 is raised to 81,
without the man who was more disabled
and has been rated at "a being himse
advanced, an obvious injustice is done to
the higher graded man. II, however,
the allowance is made after an examine
ton by surgeon, everything has been
done in due order and according to law.
If the arbitrary orders of the Commits
sioner are taken as basis, it must Ie-
suit that few are made favorites, and
the great mass, who have to depend on
medical examinations, are put at great
disadvantage. Therefore it was decided
that there is no authority in law FOR an
order arbitrarily increasing great raaas
of pensioners, in the face of the statute,
and which order is not extended to all
cases."
Quotations are then made from Tan
ner's recent letters TO Dalzell, in which
Tanner says he issued the order with q
view to putting these two. dollar men up
the rolls, and in which he said he or
dered them for examination before their
home board. The statement Gays: "The
order as made was arbitrary, unqualified
and required an advance without exsmi-
nation, to the amount specified, four dol
lars per month. 1t did not propose to
drop any one, as the letter pretended it
did, and it did not order any one for ex-
animation, as the letter pretended it
did. 1t was an unauthorized, unqualified
and illegal order for every pensioner to
be advanced to four dollars who was re-
ceiving lees. 1t was made April 27th,
and it was proposed to have it take eject
March 9th.
ga slight consideration OF this matte,
will show that to give away $66, 900 d
month of the public money on such an
order as this would be but the beginning
of system by which millions could be
expended, uncontrolled by law, as it
was unauthorized by the President.
There would be no more harm in giving
to Senator Manderson "a 900, or more,
than there would be in giving $4,000
men 100000. In either case it would be
an unauthorized distribution of the pub.
lie money, and the doors of the treasury
might as well be open to invasion as to
have such warrants drawn upon it to be
cashed without questioning.
"1t is also obvious that such course
as this would not benefit the soldiers
ultimately, as it is intended only to
benefit those who are least disabled.
There is no expression Of q disposition to
prevent any deserving soldier from &C.
quiring all the pension his disability en-
titles him to, either by original appica-
ton or application for an increase. All
that can is being done is to maintain the
law literally construed, but by nc
means disregarded, and to allow each in
his turn, without partiality, all he is en-
titled to-"
TANNERS REPLY.
Pension Commissioner Tanner was
aeen this evening regarding the above
statement, and made a lengthy reply, in
which he sharply criticised Assistsp
Secretary Bussey, and alleged that the
judicial reasons of the latter are emana
tions from the mind OF member of the
Pension Board of Appeals, who was ap
pointed under Cleveland's administers
ton after having failed to pass the Civil
Service examination.
Tanner arraigns Bussey for undertak.
ing to put him in false position before
the public. The order in question, he
says, refers to cases allowed on and after
the date he took Office, March 9th. He
had determined that he would not issue
certificate for less than four dollars pei
month, if he had the power to prevent it.
He looked into the law and found that
he had that power, as it is broadly stated
that the ratings fixed by the Medical
Boards are subject to revision by the
Commissioner. He saved vast amount
of time and trouble by issuing that order
"Then," said he, II gave verbal or.
ders that those pensioned at less than
AZ, who had applications on file for an
Increase, accompanied by certificate oil
medical examination had within q year.
should have their claims adjudicateG or
that examination, and 90 up to 81 or of
the roll. 1 also ordered verbally that to
all others should be sent an order fol-
medical examination, and abide the re.
suit Oh like basis"
Tenner contends that there is plenty ID
law fer his action.
WASHINGTON NOTES.