The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-07-30
Qhf AntflliaeAter.
Nos, rs aud ~ Fourteenth street,
Tue PENSION INQUIRY,


A Plain Statement About the Scope OF tho
MISUNDERSTANDING Blacks Campaign
Plans,
Philadelphia iBqu1T Rep
The appointment Of a committee to
investigate the re-rating OF pensions is
regarded in administration circles rs
simply q stay Of proceedings in an issue
which, from present indications, will
eventually result in the retirement Of
Commissioner Tanner orthe resignation
OF Assistant Secretary Bussey, and pos,
sibly Of the Secretary OF the Interior,
who has sustained the Assistant SecTe-
tary In his course.
Tho department "smelling'' commit
tee, In covering q period Of twelve
months, intends to encircle the campaign
tactics OF ex.Commissioner Black as well
as the alleged oyer.ireedom Of Commits
sioner Tanner, There is sufficient pre-.
liminaFy information in the possession Of
the committee to indicate that Commits
sioner Tanner has been used by a ring
in his department to further their own
interests,
The most dIsgraceiul thing about the
whole pension business is the payment
OF unjustly high pensions to persons al
ready in office or holding q commission
in the army, while deserving men who
are not favored Observation-Disclosures
draw two incomes from the government
are kept down TO a minimum rating,
Some years ago officers OF the regular
army like Badeau, who had influence
were retired at the highest rate allowed
by their rank and imagined disability,
They then secured through the same in
luence the very choicest consular places,
Badeau being made o consnl.general at
London, Congress took hold Of this
abuse by making the acceptance OF an Of
flee under the government have the ef'
feet OF CanCeling the commission as an
officer. 1t Is not improbable that Con,
gress will pass q law prohibiting any per
son from drawing a pension while hold
ing an Office.
Commissioner Black, whites at thehead
Of the Pension Office, drew not only his
liberal salary as Commissioner, but 500
q month pension Us "a total wreck"
Despite the wreck racket he fought val
iantly for the Vice Presidential nomina.
ton until President Cleveland sat down
upon his aspirations. Having spent all
his money In this scheme, Blacks adj.
mirers who had been running him got
together and arranged to present him
with a purse 10 pay his debts, This was
To be done by q contribution OF five dol
lars per capita among the employees, As
they numbered about 1900, a sum Of at
least 5000 was expected, but the anti
ring clerks would not pony up, The
project being In danger OF getting out,
II was abandoned in the scope originally
intended.
There are q number Of persons in
every branch Of the service who are
drawing two payments from the Govern
ment, and in proportion 10 their intlu.
enCe their rating Is highest.
1t Is intlmated that II the investigation
should show anything wrong or irregular
the President will spare nc one. He pro-
poses to have a clean administration, no
matter where 1t strikes.
There have been grave apprehensions
in the minds Of the Republican states
men Of Congress that the demagogy Of
the small fry politicians In using the
laudable objects OF the pension law for
selfish partisan purposes will lead 10
serious consequences. It was admitted
by Senator Allison, when last in Wash
lngton, that the r%e-ratings, statutory In.
crease and projected enlargement OF the
scope OF the pension laws already threat
ened 10 consume the surplus, and might
prevent q revision OF the tariff for the
reduction OF revenue on the line Of pro-
duction. The prospect OF tariff revision
Is as much for increasing the duties on
some articles, thus reducing revenue, as
for lowering where American competi.
ton affords sufficient protection. Tho
Senator seemed fearful that these re-
ratings and other enlargement Of PEN
sion expenditures might n~ecessitate IN
increase Of revenue which would neces-
state laying new taxes TO meet the ex.
penses Of the Government on account Of
enormous pension expenses, Such q
necessity, forced entirely by Republican
legislation, would make'the pensions to
soldiers a boomerang to STAY the party
by the very measures proposed to main.
tain its support by the majority.
A member OF the administration in
timated that the pension question waD
one which was having very serious con,
sideration from the President, and the
result OF the preliminary investigation
would undoubtedly lead to further In.
Quiry.
The development in the pension lie.
rating case OF Senator Henderson, OF
Nebraska, which has been made q salient
point In the opening proceedings Of the
pension inquiry, Is likelyto lead tosomc
interesting details. 1t appears that the
Senator in 1865 was granted q pension
OF $l5 a month for half disability. Since
that time he has been examined several
times, but no report has been
made ayowing an increased disability,
despite reput6d pains In his back
and legs. Last June, however, his case
was called for by Commissioner Tanners
private secretary, Squires, q member Of
tho Board OF Review, and by him was
turned over to the medical referee and
a fey days after the Nebraska Senator,
who Ia one NJ tho most active members
Of the upper BRANCH Qf Congress, vas
granted d pension OF $50 o month Tor lie
10 date from discharge, which gave him
arrearages a~ggregating $4,000. The whole
transaction consumed six days. The
n%ari,as to this transaction have been dis
missed. A medical examination Of the
Senator will be ordered, and II his con.
dition does net Indicate totsi disability as , ny