The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-09-14

Is Tanner TO be Thrown Over!
The impression now prevailing
that the administration is going to
decapitate its commissioner of pen.
sions is growing more profound
Tanners standing with his official
superiors has been deteriorating ever
since his appointment was urged by
various pension attorneys, nor that
the development Of his extremely
generous" policy has been sur
prise. On the contrary, it was sup
posed that commissioner known to
believe in unlimited pensions, but
sobered by the responsibilities of of
flee, would win for the administra-
ton the admiration and support of
every member Of the G. A. r. Per-
haps The calculation was Just one.
The trouble however, has been that
Tanner has not been ''sobered" by
the responsible nature of his posi-
ton. Being def, lent in business
capacity, breadth of view, discretion
and sense of official propriety, his
management of his office has been a
succession of blunders, errors and
scandals. He began by removing
Democratic clerks from the pension
bureaus for partisan reasons, with
out regard to the ciyil-service pledges
of the President. Secretary Noble
found 1t necessary to intervene to
stop this in the interest of the public
service. Soon after came the re-
rating and expediting scandals, to-
gether with charges that Dudley and
others, with whom Tanner had CO.
operated in the Indiana campaign.
were so much favored in their bust
ness as pension attorneys that no.
body else had chance to get hear
ing. The granting of an increased
pension to Senator Sabin without his
knowledge, by way of creating a
precedent, and the remarkable sue
cess of certain employees fthe bureau
in having their pensions increased,
also attracted public attention. Such
proportions did these scandals as
sumo that departmental investiga.
ton was set on foot, with results
unsatisfactory both to the public
and to Secretary Noble. In August
large increase of pension expcndi-
ture was noticed, due to the extreme
"liberality" of Mr.. Tanners rul-
ings. There was no surplus for July,
but, on the contrary, an increase of
some 81, 100000 in the public debt.
Mr.. Tanner laughed at the figures,
and intimated gayly that he was go
ing to increase the appropriation of
$S2, 100000 for last year to 1920 ,OO0,-
600 for the year to come. When the
last monthly debt statement showed
an increase of the public debt dur
ing August of over $4,000, 900. it was
in earnest. Conservative friends of
the administration began to he
alarmed. This turning of the sur
pluses Of the Cleveland administers
ton into deficits by means of yen
erous' pension rulings, besides being
politically inexpedient, was thing
to excite Secretary WINDOWS solici-
tude. The exit of Tanner from the
pension bureau for financial reasons.
to say nothing of multiplying scan
dals, became thenceforth a necessi-
ty. But the commissioner had a
pull" on the administration. A ]
policy of pensions for all, refusals
for nome" naturally receives the ap-
probation of great many fools.
Till recently Tanner could say that
the whole G. A r. was with him.
The administration could not, there
fore, it was believed, afford to offend |
that vast number of persons in the
West and Northwest who think it
The duty of the government to sup
port everybody that has worn the
blue uniform, without regard to the
character and value of the service
performed. The desirability of get
ling rid of the commissioner of pen
,ions was plain enough, but an OPP
Dortunity to do so without losing
votes was lacking. This, however.
1as been supplied by Tanners per-
'ormances at Milwaukee. His often
live speech about soldiers wives at
he Grand Army cncalppmenl and
he denunciatiou with which the