The Red Cloud chief., 1889-10-04
TANNER WRITES A LETTER.

TANNER WRITES A LETTER.
Corporal Tanner Writes . Letter to Pri-
vAte Dalzeli About tho Pension Oii:ce
Muddle
ST. Louis Sept. "a special TO the
Republic. from Caldwell. o.. gives the oil
lowing letter which explains itseE It's
authenticity is fully vouchsd for:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.
W~AsHiNGroN. Sept. ~, loS3
Hon. J.. " DGi-eu. CGLireL, d..
My Dear Dalzell: have yours OF the Eth j
think ! have read all that has been printed as
coming from your lips OF pen. For ycnr great
warmth OF good feeling 1 thank you from tho
bottom OF my heart -
And now, once for all. about the deputysaip
I want to saw to you that the President never
said one word to me about you. i can not come
cut and say that publicly. you must not quote
IL: but II is Gods truth. The one appointed
frst deputy was from Mobiles State, and had
lost two limbs. OF course, / could no; kick.
imagine that your keen eye has caused Won
to discern. and that you are contem plating the
effect in Ohio Of two thlnss re ccntly done in the
Pension ONCE When 1 say recently, 1 mean
since ! practically went out. for. while I au
Com missioner, and will be until my successor
is appointed and qualities. I am taking no part
In the duties OF the ONCE, holiinc my own
leave While Commissioned ] issued two Cr-
ders which i thought. and stll think. are
mighty good cncs. First. that the 3i1rD n.en
on the pension roll 1T less than - n month
should all. unless they had had a MEDICAL ex-
animation within 4 year. be ordered for eV-
animation before their home board. with
q view TO putting them up at least ~ per month
pension o. drop them on the roll: for il was and
Is my opinion that for a man who Is worthy OF
any pension at all. u a week is small enough tc
consider . pension NV second order was that
thereafter in the settlement OF a pension claim
the word of n private. II he was q man of good
s~tandin: and character, should amount to ~
much in the settlement of the clam rs tho
word Of the man who had perhaps worn tho
shoulder straps Of . Second Lieutenant The
Acting COMMISSIONS revoked both of these or
ders. according TO the Washington Post and
other papers, but as he is u man who dare not
say his soul is his own. he did 1t under the direc-
ton Of Noble or Bussey.
am told this afternoon that She order re-
vOking my decision OF the small pension cases
has been rescinded, but you oan see what the
spirit Is: and how. under heavens, are they 20
ing to make the boys believe that there Is 10 be
no change in the policy!
Smith also issued an order stopping all rerat-
ings. He did not object to II until after 1 had
rerated him and put him up to 81 for the l.s>
OF his arm and leg, thereby putting %. - IN his
pocket. / held. and still hold. that he was
clearly entitled to IT; but is II not Contempt
BILE that q man who had that done for him and
who acquiesced in II cordially in his own case
should now be SO pronounced against the rerat-
ing OF poor devils who. perhaps. from the effects
Of malarial poisoning. chronic diarrhea. or some
disease of that kind, suffers twice As much u, .
man does from amputation,
want to say to you that I did nor resign I'M
til the President and the Secretary had both
said te me in the same minute that TIE cOm-
pleted report of the Investigating committee.
which lay before them. contained no word
which would impeach the honesty II my action
in the slightest degree. Then I had 10 consider
whether I was man enough TO decline To CON
tinue in q position where l knew my immediate
oficial superiOrs did not want me, even con
ceding that i could stay against their wishes.
which is not At all true. I have not the slightest
doubt but that / would have been removed
had not resigned: in fact I know it. Noble hat
&c. >ainly pronounced his ultimitum 10 BE- my
head or his resignation. and. of course. Il break
in his Cabinet would have embarrassed Ha.ri-
son greatly.
Now that I have completed the report and
have gone through 1t carefully and thoroughly,
1 say to you. rs one whose good opinion i value.
that all under the heavens they can charge mo
with is too much liberali;y ard too much speed
in the granting OF pensions. I think you VIII
OeICC Will C tu1t VIC h1tC h4u
and procrastination enough. So that IT wouii
take more than six months of my time 10 p:it<
IL up to q decent average.
OF the future I know nothing. If the bows,
and particularly those IN OHIO, acGuiesce. Why.
IT is safe to say that Tanner will be left where
he iS-In the soup.
Among the promotions announced in the
Pension ONCE night before last Is that OF fiir-
rison L. Bruce. OF Colorado, To be n member of
the board of pension appeals in the Secretary's
Off e at 1000 q year. He had been detailed 'or
duty in the secretary's Office for some months.
and was appointed by the Secretary one OF the
Commission which investigated the Pension
ONCE. Don't you think IT would have looSei D
little better il they had waited at least until
after / had passed out of official life before thew
promoted him? Some will be cyni;al enough
TO ref Ct upon cause and effect, service and re-
ward. With all my heart very truly yours.
JAMES TANNER
p. ST. have written you wii h great freedom
Don't give me any cause TO regret IL by saying
any thing about this letter. 1t is t0yO1, solely.