Omaha daily bee., 1889-03-25
TANNERS PENSION POLICY.
He Believes In Providing for Every
Union Soldier.
WHY THE LIST WAS SUPPRESSED
Afraid of the scrutinizine Eye of the
Public-The Inndequacy of tho
White House Accom-
modations.
WASHINGTON BUREAU The OMAHA BEE,
513 FOURTEENTH STREET,
WARRINGTON, d. c., March 81.

DID tOURTEENTH STREET,
WASHINGTON, ID. c., March 81.
VI believe in giving every union soldier
his widow or orphan, who is in need, a pen
sion, and IN giving it to him or her as quickly
Us possible" said Corporal Tanner, the new
commissioner of pensions, in discussing, last
evening, the policy he will pursue when he
fills General Blacks chair. Tanners ap-
pointment is generally regarded as the be-
ginning Of a new pension era 1t may, and
likely will, result in universal pensions, as
the simplest and cheapest way out of it. In
fact universal pension bill will be early in
troduced in the Fifty-first congress, and un-
less 1t should. be deemed inexpedlent and
killed by caucus, 1T will become law. Cor
poral Tanner has long been regarded as
pension liberalist Of the most pronounced
type. During the recent campaign he
stumped Indiana with General Alvin p.
Hovey, who was elected governor of that
state and who is strong advocate Of pen
sions for all who served hoDorably and faith
fully for the union during the late war.
Tanner declared in almost every speech he
made that IL he had the power there never
would be the necessity afforded for an ex-
union soldier or sailor or his widow or or
phaus to accept public or private charity.
He would make them all independent out of
the public treasury. No one knew better
than General Harrison these statements and
and these promises, and the appointment of
Tanner to position where the laws already
on the statute books can be construed to un-
limited universal pensions, is taken as
direct Endorsement Of the sentiment.
THE SUPPRESSED PENSION LIST.
For three months the issuance of pensions
at the pension bureau has been almost
suspended. Eight or ten weeks since the
commissioner directed that the daily list of
pensions allowed be suspended as the allow
ances were so few that he did not want COM
~.
bureau and that of six eight and ten months
ago, when the soldier vote was being bid for.
That is why the press of the country does
not publish the names Of the pensioners. No
one has been able during the past six weeks
to ascertain who had been allowed pensions.
Commissioner Tanner intends, as soon as he
can get the machinery in operation under the
new regime, to begin anew the issuance for
those who are eagerly watching for their
pittance may know in advance Of the usual
channel when success has crowned them.
Representative Cheadle, of Indiana, who
knows Corporal Tanner intimately, said of
him to-day: HE will give pension to
every one who needs it and is entitled to it,
providing congress will give him the money.
He already has great latitude, and can allow
limited liberality. Tanner is extremely par
tisan, but he will be fair with all who fought
for the union flag, no matter which side they
may vote on now. He hates the democrats,
ne SAYS DeCduSc tue ueulOcTatS SuOU MS teSS
off, but he means when he says this that he
hates those who were democrats during the
war. He loves union soldier even though
he be q bitter democrat now. His appeals to
the patriotism OF soldiers during the campaign
were eloquent, stirring and effective He is,
to my mind the most liberal of all the COM
missioners of pensions we have ever had, and
the effects of his work will be very soon
felt.
THE WHITE HOUSE.
Mrs. Hurrison's present illness has called
attention to the unhealthfulness and made
quacy Of the white house, and has aroused
public sentiment here in favor OF a new ex-
ecutive mansion. The white house has mis-
cradle plumbing, and the sewer gases can be
tasted on O foggy day in any part of the
building. Then the house is too small. There
are but five bed rooms i'm it, and when the
president and his wife have few relatives
visiting them, as at present, they are
crowded. There Is sufficient parlor room,
probably, but this must be given to the pub
lie and could not be utilized by domestic
family, rs 1t is alone, the ground floor being
cut off from the other part of the building.
Three or four times during the past decade
the senate has adopted bills making appro
priations for the construction Of family
residence for the president. The sum named
for the building and its furnishing have
varied from quarter to three-quarters of q
million dollars. One or two OF the bills have
provided for the purchase of grounds in the
suburbs, the hills on the northern boun-
dary being in mind, while the others have
contemplated the construction OF
building on the park square immediately
north of aud across Pennsylvania avenue
from the white house. The venerable Sena-
tor Morrill, Of Vermont, has two or three
times advocated the construction of family
residence for the president, presenting plans
for it and speaking IN its behalf, and he will
probably renew his efforts at the approach
ing session of congress. Every day the
necessity of sach q provision is more and
more seen, not altogether on account of the
cramped condition Of the family of the presi
dent in its present quarters and the unhealthy
condition of the old building but on account
Of the necessity for more room in which to
transact the public business. There has
heen a complete Encouragement of the rooms
for the clerks at the white house so as Ia
utilize the room to the best possible ndvant
age, and yet all are crowded. Two clerks
have been put out in the telegraph office
while another one is at work in one of the
outer waiting rooms. There is no privacy
for the president his private secretary OF
any one. The space ON the second floor i.
occupied, every inch of it. Now that there
is surplus, a necessity a2d republican
building of private residence for the execu
tive family.
A NURSERY.
Mrs. Cleveland's old room in the executive
mansion has been turned into nursery
Hector and the corpulent Angora and Nal
tese cats have been retired for the granl
children OF the president and Mrs. Harrison
On rainy afternoon late, just before HI
goes into dinner, the president is fond o
being ''Iurned loose'' with the children in tn,
nursery, and the wheels Of carts, the rattl
of marbles and tle laughter of babies re
sound where the bark of CANNES ana crie
of felines have been want to resound. Bah.
Mckee often slips out of his mamas room n
the close of cabinet conference in the after
noon and visits the nations cOunsellors. HI
is known to them all, and never takes ad
vantage of his privileges by making hlmsel
too plentiful.
MRS HARRISON RECOVERING,
Mrs. Harrison expects to be out again be
fore the end of the week. She has rapid.
recovered from her illness during the pas
twenty,four hours and anticipates muc
pleasure during the spring and summe
months visiting the country surrounding
Washington. So great has been the fatigu
OF handshak ing within the past three week
that Mrs. Harrson's hands still bear tn
marks Of cordial grips from sincere, bu
thoughtless constituents Of her husband
The president also has experienced the II
effect OF this promiscuous habit OF greeting
For this reason has the determination on tn
part of both been reached 10 set the mnc
needed precedent OF receiving with simpl
inclination of the head. AT the last recel
tion TO the general public by Mrs. Cleveland
the wearied hostess, though ready 10 dro
from fatigue, stood smilingly with oui
atratehad hand greet halvVaan 4 00O an