Omaha daily bee., 1889-10-20
TANNERS SUCCESSOR NAMED
General Green b. Rapnn, of Illinois,
Appointed.
A SURPRISE TO THE POLITICIANS.
Judge Groff Renders Another Inn
portant Oecision-A Poiygiot stem
ographer Wanted For the
Maritime Conference.
WARRINGTON BUREAU THE OMAHA BEE, \
5l3 FOURTEENTH STREET,

| 5l3 FOURTEENTH STREET, :
WASHINGTON, ID. G., Oct IL. J
President Harrison made to-day what
| promises to bo his most popular appoint
] ment. 1t was that of General Green b
Raum, of Illinois, to succeed Corporal Tan.
| ner as commissioner of pensions. The seec
tion was officially announced at 10 o'clock
this morning, and up to late tonight not a
single syllable has been uttered against it
| by any one.
General Raum combines all the attributes
| to make most excellent and satisfactory
| commissioner. He was a splendid soldier
Of the General John A. Logan class. He is
| popular, though not a boasting G.. A. Il.
man. He is splendid lawyer, familiar not
| only with the laws but the rules and prac-
| tices of the pension office. He for
several years occupied the office
| of commissioner of internal revenue
and displayed rare executive ability.
| General Raum goes into the Office better
| equipped in every way tnan any of his pre-
| decessors. He has no hobbies, no preju-
dices. He was not wounded. it is true but
it may be that he is the better fitted for that.
His organization of the internal revenue,
branch of the treasury department, was per-
feet, and it was only necessary for President
Harrison to be reminded of his administra-
tion of that Office and the fact that he would
accept the commssionershp of pensions to
induce action. The first mention of General
Raum's name for the commissonership of
pensions was probably by Senator Mitchell,
of Oregon. 1t was almost three weeks ago
that in passing THE BEE bureau he stopped
and said:
iii 1 were President Harrison l would
send for General Green b. Raum, of Ill-
nois. and induce him if possible to take hold
of the pension office. He Is the best man for
it In the country. 1t has Just occurred to me,
and am going straight to the white house
and make the suggestion"
This he did. Senator Mitchell is naturally
elated might
Ex-Commissioner Tanner said to your
correspondent as soon as he heard OF the ap-
pointment: at is the best selection that
could have been made General Raum was
a gallant soldier, is good man, a fine law
yer, with liberal views on the subject of PEN
sious, and am satisfied he will do all he Can
for the pensioners"
General Bradley. Colonel Axell and other
local G. A. r. men spoke in the same terms
of General Raum. while Representative Bur
rows of Michigan, Anderson, of Kansas.
General Goff, of West Virginia. and many
others say the selection was the best that
could have been made.
The appointment was great surprise to
almost everybody. 1t IS not likely that q
dozen persons in the city anticipated it and
those who did were sworn to secrecy. The
president last night believed it likely that he
would make the appointment but he did not
reach final conclusion till after o'clock
this morning.
h
or had Office here for twelve years or more
his appointment is charged to Illinois, where
he votes.
General Raum is one of the original Grant
men and the stalwarts will rejoice over his
appointment. The General was sworn in at
noon and now has charge of the office. The
work will proceed as heretofore next week.
Politicians and pension'of1ice employees be-
lieve that Deputy Commissioner Smith and
Assistant Secretary Bussey will retire soon
from the positions they occupy.
BAXTER VS. CRILLY.
Land Commissioner Croft rendered de-
cision to-day in the homestead entry Of AL
fred Il. Baxter vs. Henry Crilly, involving
the northwest quarter of section twenty,
township twenty-five, range 747, Chadron
land district, which reverses the finding of
the local land officers and sets up some good
precedents.
Commissioner Croft again contends for
the inherent rights of the original settler
and reminds the local office that it is their
duty to ADVISE contestant or contestee of
his rights and privileges in passing upon a
case. The inference is strong intimation
that the land officer is an advocate as we'll as
iurist for both parties to a case, and thnt it
is the officers duty to see that all parties
have all the rights the law gives them. In
the course of his decision. which is in the
form of a letter to the register and receiver
a t Chadron, Commissioner Croft says:
"rhe land in question being unoffered,
BaXter's duplication to file alleging settle
ment prior to the date of said entry as has
as has been seen, was made within tho stat
uary period. Although the reason given
was sufficient to suspend the same, the regis
ter and receiver should have advised the
plaintiff of his rights in the premises. When
Baxter presented his application to file, al
leglng settlement prior to the date of said
entry, you should have suspended the same
and ordered hearing to determine the
rights of the respective parties. Since you
failed to order such hearing at the time and
to apprise Baxter of his rights he
can not be considered as having waived
them, Under the circumstances OF the
case the contest against the entry, for the
reasons therein stated, must be held there
to have been properly instituted
"From the record it appears that on March
g. 1887, the defendant filed with you his duly
corroborated AFFIDAVIT in which he asks to be
permitted to relinquish his homestead entry
without prejudice and be allowed to make a
new homestead entry for the southeast
quarter of section thirty-two, township
twenty-six east range twenty seven west,
and states as one of the reasons therefor
that Baxter was living on the land in tent
al the time he made the entry and as the
settlement was made on the day the defend
ant went to the land office, TO make the entry
he could not have known OF the same.
IL am satisfied, from a consideration Of the
testimony, that the plaintiff was, in point of
time, the prior settler, and that he had on
the tract substantial aud valuable improve
ments prior TO the defendant, and tnat he,
within reasonable time thereafter, followed
up his settlement by actual residence there
on. This being the case, your decision Is
hereby reversed, and since Crilly has applied
for permission to relinquish his interest in
the tract, the application is hereby accepted