Omaha daily bee., 1889-10-21
TANNER DEFENDS HIMSELF.
He Objects to the Smirchiug of an
Honorable Life.
A REPLY TO SECRETARY NOBLE.
Review OF His Conduct in ONCE and
His Defense thereof - Some
Rather Hot Talk-Em-
phatic Denials.
The Retoru Courteous.


Tanner is out tonight in long statement
replying to Secretary Nobles' letter OF July
"a, the gist of which was given IN these
dispatches Friday night Tauner denies at
the outset that he defcd the secretary on
the subject of rerating, or his authority in
the administration of the bureau. He gives
out for publication the letter to which Sec
retary Mobiles reply was made. In it Tan
ner says in part:
II 40 not propose in any event to have an
honorable life time smirched in the slightest
degree at this period of my existence, and
where may find well founded reasons for
believing that have been imposed on and
misled / will be quick to recommend the
condemnation merited by the parties con-
cerned. l desire TO add furthermore
that I have made a comparison
in these cases (mcaning cases of pension Of
fee empoyes) with that taken by my prede-
cessor in similar cases aud find the comparl-
son is favorable to the present administra-
tion.n
Tanner, in commenting on the stress laid
by Secretary Noble upon the law relating to
re-ratng, says that when he took office he
found that on the question of re-ratng the
office had been, since March 23, 1885, operat-
ing in accordance with the decision rendered
by Assistant Secretary Jenks, who IN the
case of Charles Watson declared that "1f
any case adjudcated under the act of March
8, 1879, arrears of pensions were not graded
according to the pensioners disability;
neither section 46 9S1S nor any other pro-
vision of the law prohibits re-adjudicatlon."
Watsons contention was in part for pen
sion on account of sunstroke, but he made
no claim for that disability till fifteen years
. after his discharge. Mr.. jerks states that
while the presumption, from the fact that he
made no clam until fifteen years after dis
charge, is not in favor of the view that the
aft1 ha hn1 pll a i'm
ant should have an opportunity to show the
extent of his disability during that period
since his discharge; and adds, "If the evil
dence should show that for any portion of
time since his discharge he has been disabled
In degree greater than for which he was
pensioned, the pension for that period should
be increased so as to correspond with the de-
gree of disability
IF Secretary Noble sees fit" says Tanner,
ITO construe statutes so as 10 make them less
liberal to soldiers than did his eminent dem
Ocratic predecessor, the responsibility must
rest with him, and am not willing while so
doing that he shall unchallenged arraign me
as operating without reason aud beyond the
pale of law.
"Various statements have been published
over the country about the vast number of
claims of employees of the pension Office
which have been acted upon during my in
cumbency. Tho fact IS, there we're but
thirty three of them all told There are
nearly seven hundred soldiers, employees in
well as I, how much foundation there is, re-
garding the point of number, for the criticism
passed upon the Office in that respect. Sus-
flee 1t to say that -four gentlemen, men of
long experience in Office and acknowledged
character and capacity, in their report to me
on twenty-four cases, broadly impeached the
correctness of action in one case whereupon
Immediately called for the papers in that
case, ana, finding that the certificate had not
been issued, cancelled all proceedings taken
IN the case OF thrty-three cases they re-
ported that three were simply increase cases
AMI not rerated cases; that the action taken
In two of the others was right in part, and
that in one case injustice had been done the
pensioner, and that he had not been granted
enough. six cases were reported rs having
been wrongly favored. All the rest were
certified to as absolutely correct.
"On the sO,h of June came notice to me
of the fact that the commission of investiga-
tion had been instituted. When they ap-
peared day or two afterwards | instructed
the chief clerk to place the Office and all its
contents ut their disposal If they desired it.
That terminated my association with the
committee Of Investigation right at the CON-
menccment of the evidence.
~ never saw the report of the committee
on investigation until the afternoon of the
day resigned, when found it on the tab e
In the white Eouse and was there told by
the president and secretary that the report
contained nothing which would in the slight
est degree reflect upon my integrity or inn
peach the honesty OF my action as commls-
sioner.n
In regard to the secretary's assumption o.
his insubordination Tanner presents the
letter which he sent to the secretary Angus
B, and in which he expresses regret chat they
had fallen apart, and attributes the trouble
TO too little personal communication. 1h'
letter goes on to say:
II recognize that | sit in position wher,
have power 10 serve our comrades and our
country. desire to serve them and it TO tn,
full extent the law permits and not one lot;
beyond. / desire you 10 make this branch Of
the administration so popular with veteran!
over the country at large that, in the future
there can be no question where support o
the men who served and suffered will b.
gwen"
Tanner SAID this letter was never an
swered and IL closed communication between
him and the secretary.