San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-09-12
CORPORAL TANNER GOES.

had retired from the desk of pension
commissioner and would no more
appear there, if confirmed will cause
considerable comment and no small
surprise in some quarters. 1t has
long been known that the Commits
siOner and his chief, Secretary Noble,
of the Interior department, have not
been in accord concerning Tanners
management Of his Office, but it was
hardly expected that the disagree
ment had proceeded to such
lengths as the dispatches indi-
cate. Some of the leading re-
publican journals of the country
have asked for his dismissal, or at
least criticized his conduct of the
Office in such terms as to lead to the
conclusion that they considered him
unfit to conduct it, but it was hardly
expected that any change would be
made so soon. President HarrisOn's
wishes in the matter had not been
learned, but it is a question OF retain
ing Secretary Noble or his subOrdin-
ate, and in that posture of affairs OF
course Tanner will 90. Lack of
conservative methods in the con-
ducs of the office is the reason of his
enforced resignation, and there is no
doubt that there has been a very
serious dissatisfaction with his policy
on the part of the more conservative
republicans for months past. Tanner
has warm personal friends in the
cabinet, and in forcing his resigna-
ton, as Secretary Mobiles has done,
there is no intimatiOn of any lack
of integrity or Of personal objection
ableness on the part Of Mr.. Tanner.
His re-rating of pensions has always
been disapproved by his superior and
his foolish speeches have made him
the subject Of unmitgated ridicule
by the journals of the opposition.
This latter while no doubt annoying
would not have induced any change,
but they help to swell the volume OF
adverse criticism. So far, this adj
minlstration has shown itself remark
ably conservative in the conduct OF the
public business and Tanner is an in
tence radical in his measures and
methods. His appointment to the
Office was genuine surprise to those
had always regarded him as erratic,
and his appointment to so important
\ post was regarded more in the
light of a recognition Of the old SOL
dier element than any thing else.
That the commissioner of pensions
is a man heartily and wholly in SYM
pathy with the OLD soldiers of the
union is very much to be desired and
in this particular Corporal Tanner
has been found a very acceptable con,
trast 10 his predecessor who had no
love for q union veteran, of the Tepub-
lican persuasion particularly. This
love for a soldier, however, does not
constitute the sole qualification for
the office, and if Corporal Tanner has
80 far rendered himself Objectionable
to his chief by his business methods
that his signature will no longer
be hnnOred by the Secretary OF
the interior, it may be taken
for granted that there is something
radically at fault with the manage
ment of the pensions bureau. With
Secretary Tracy for his warm per-
sOnal friend, with the genuine love
for the OLD soldier which President
Harrison is known to entertain and
with General Proctor at the head of
the war department, it may be &C
Cepted for gospel that it is no lack OF
sympathy with the wounded and dis
abled veterans of the union which has
led to the demand for Cor
pOral Tanners retirement from
the head Of the pensions bureau.
1t is of the first necessity
that there be harmony between the
Secretary of the Interior and his chiefs
of bureaus, and the character of the
administration is sufficient guarantee
that it is no spirit of hostility to the
liberal administration of the pension
department but real necessity of
change in its administration which
has called for the retirement Of Com
missioner Tanner.