Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-06-27
PATRIOTIC SENTIMENTS
Pension Commissioner Tanner and the
Treasury Surplus.

Treasury Surplus.
Our Washington correspondent re-
ports Commissioner Tanner as saving:
! shall have no regard for the condition Of
the surplus in the Treasury in considering ap-
plications for pensions. 1t VIII be my purpose
20 grant all just pensions, and to do il prompt
y, whether our next pension appropriation
bill will be increased from eighty to ninety
millions, or from eighty TO one hundred and
siXtv million dollars.
Good for Corporal Tanner. We
have heard nothing more sensible
and satisfactory from any public
official than this. OF course it is what
might be expected from a prominent
official under an Administration
which reveres the soldier more than it
does the surplus, but it is none the less
gratifying to hear it. The Commits
sioner's disregard for the surplus will
doubtless strike some persons as very
irreverent and shocking. Under the
Cleveland administration the surplus
was sort of fetch. If not wor-
SHIPPED it was tenderly nursed and
guarded with the utmost care. 1t was
the apple of the administration eye.
the brightest jewel in the Cleve-
land coronet. As a stock argument
in favor of the necessity of re-
ducing the revenue and infer
entially of free trade, it became in
Democratic eyes thing OF beauty and
a joy forever its increase became
the chief object of the administration.
Its preservation was more important
than that of the National credit.
Thousands of pension claims were per-
mitted to go UNDECIDED, and old sol
diers TO languish in poor-houses in
order to protect the sacred surplus.
Commissioner Black assisted in carry
ing out this scheme, as, of course, he
had to do under an administration
which made the preservation of the
surplus the keystone of its policy. 1t
was necessary to bolster up the fraud
ulent theory of free trade.
Under this administration the sur
plus will take its proper place. 1t will
not be treated as financial fetch. 1t
neither be worshiped. nursed nor
feared. 1t will be treated as nat
ural incident indicative of National
prosperity. not as a permanent condi-
ton indicative of National decay. If
necessary it will be used for the legit-
innate purposes of the government, as
it ought to be. At all events, it will
not be used as bugbear or false
pretense.
Commissioner Tanner reflects the
views OF the President when he says
that in considering applications for
pensions he shall have no regard for
the condition of the surplus. In one
of his campaign speeches General Har-
rison said: The attempt has been
made to use this surplus as lever to
overturn the protective system. The
promoters of this scheme, while pro-
Tossing desire to diminish the sur
plus, have acted as if their purpose
was to increase it in part by opposing
necessary and legitimate appropria-
tons" One of the most necessary
and legitimate appropriations is one
sufficient to meet and pay all just pen
sion claims. If this prevents an in
crease of the surplus, or even wipes it
out, let it do SO. The surplus could
not be put to better use. AS Com
missioner Tanner says: The surplus
can take care of itself; those who need
pensions can not. indianapolis Jour-
nal.