New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1889-09-18
CORPORAL Tanner OFT.
Radical Difference Between the Corporal and
Secretary Noble One Of the Chief Causes.

Radical Difference Between the Corporal and
Secretary Noble One Of the Chief Causes.
Corporal James Tanners resignation as
commissioner of pensions is in the hands of
President Harrison. Its acceptance is merely
matter of time. Deputy Commissioner
Smith has been designated to act as COM
missioner until successor to Mr.. Tanner is
appointed.
Mr.. Tanner objected to summary removal,
and while Mr. Noble was at the White House
the corporal was sent for and upon his arrival
the report of the investigating commission
was read and he was informed why he was
offensive and objectionable as the head of
the pension bureau. There has never peen
the best OF feeling between the secretary and
the commissioner. Mr. Noble has not APP
proved the methods of the commissioner
and has been irritated by the latters
lndiscretions Resides, there has often times
been a conflict of authority, the COM
missioner asserting that the secretary had
no right to interfere in certain matters that
appertalned strictly to the pension bureau
The Ill feeling has been constantly growing,
and 1T became apparent that either the sec
rotary or the commissioner must 60 These
points were explained at length to the com
missioner at the conference, and an effort
made to reconcile him to the situation A
considerable portion of the time at the
White House was ia ken up in trying to find
place that would . acceptable to Mr.. Tan
ner. The marshalship of the Southern district
OF New York was offered him, Senator His
cocks consent to the disposal of that office
having been gained. There was also a sug-
gestion of other places, including the regis
NJ no froo = s.,
that this was offered. Other places outside
of Washington were suggested, but were
spurned by the thoroughly angered corporal.
The marshalship is as lucrative as
the pension commissionership, but Mrs Tan
ner objects to leaving Washington. She
says they have leased a house for three
years; that two daughters are here in public
service and two sons are attending the uni
versity, and it would be most inconvenie1lr
to leave the city. 1t is the intention
of the administration to find some
thing for him that will be satisfactory so
that his virtual dismissal will not leave him
stranded. 1t is probable that the acceptance
nounced until place has been
found for him, in case he will accept
some other position. Some OF Mr. Tanners
friends assert that he will open pension
office in Washington and present the claims
of his old comrades who are looking for pen
sions. " ass
There are already numerous candidates
for the place. The past five months have
shown that business mani is wanted at the
head offs important u bureau as the pen
sion office. 1t was Corporal Tanners
lack of actual business ability, coupled
with his indiscreet habit of talk
ing freely, that led to the present disagree
able imbroglo. His removal is on charges
ofineficiency and indiscretion based on his
action IN a I,ipU Snoci al 10 han
pension cases, on the action Of some OF his
subordnates in making reratings for each
other, and on the speeches and interviews
credited to the commissioner in the newspa-
pers, and whose authenticity he has not de-
MED. The commission Investigating the re-
ratings in the office has reported from time to
time to the secretary OF the in,erior the
discovery of the wholesale rcrating among
the employees of the office, to the partial ex-
clusion OF other pensioners. The men who
insisted upon Tanners appointment are
more to blame than the unfortunate corporal
for they who knew him best should not have
urged him for q place requiring careful bust
ness training and Keen executive ability.
That is the sentiment o! the Republicans
who have discussed the matter during the
past few days, and in selecting Mr.. Tanners
successor great care will be taken to avoid
the mistake made when he was appointed
A United Press dispatch from Washington
says that its representative was authorized
by the president to state that "Commission-
Tanner.had not been removed. and that he
has not asked for the commissioners resig-
nation" and shat Commissioner Tanner de.
clined to talk about the imbroglio further
than to say that he had not been suspended
and had not resigned. Mai. William Warner
is reported to have left Kansas City last
night for Washington in response to q
telegram from the president or
secretary of the interior asking him if he
would accept the position of commissioner
of pensions, to succeed Commissioner Tanner
in event the latter should be removed The
latest associated press dispatch from Wash
ington on the subject says: president H ar
rison has received the resignation of James
W. Tanner as commissioner of pensions. In
his letter conveying the resignation it is said
the commissioner writes that he recognizes
that differences exist between himself and the
secretary of the interior respecting the ad-
ministration of the pension bureau, and that
those differences being radical, in the inter
est of thoroughly satisfactory admin
stration of the Office, he sho uld resign