Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-21
ATALK WITH TANNER
The Corporal an Outspoken Candidate
for General Blacks Place.
1T HAS NOT BEEN PROMISED HIM,
But He Thinks He Earned it During the Ho
Campaign in Indiana.
HOW THE DEMOCRATS LOST THE HOUSE.
Congressional Contests Lost Sight Of in Anxiety f0r
Cleveland.
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DISPATCH. ]

CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DIsPATcH.l
WASHINGTON, January 20-Corpora
Tanner, of Brooklyn, who left two legs on
the battlefield, is in the city for brief visit
Being asked in regard to the quite general
report that President-elect Harrison had Of
fered him the position of Commissioner oi
Pensions, Corporal Tanner replied; u have
only to say in answer to that, the office
of Commissioner OF Pensions or any
other Office never was mentioned De-
tween General Harrison and myself. !
promised Senator Stanford, last January, to
stump California in the Presidential contest.
1 was in this city when received dispatch
from Hon. NJ. NJ. Estee to go to Oregon at
once and help our friends in the tight |
went direct to Oregon, and when we had
won a victory 1 went on to San Francisco,
and then came back across the Continent, as
the guest OF the California delegation. Col
onels Hayman and Crocker also asked me
to come to California and stump the State,
and 1 promised to do it.
81 started West from the Grand Army
Convention at Columbus, ticketed through.
had promised my Indiana friends to stop
and make one speech in Indianapolis. l
did so, and intended to stay there three days
and no more.
HAD TO STAY IN INDIANA.
"After my speech the Republican State
Committee urged me to stay and help them
in the fight 1 explained to them my
promise to the Californians, and told them
1 could not stay. They showed me the poll
of soldier votes of Indiana, a Republican
poll, which showed it to be 40 per cent Dem
ocratic. They evidently worked the wires
between New York and Indianapolis, for 1
got four dispatches from the National Com
mittee urging me to stay. l still declined.
Then Attorney General Michener came to
me, as he said, with a personal request from
General Harrison that 1 stop right there
where he felt 1 could do the best work. 1
told nv wife that Harrison was going to be
the next President of the United States, and
l guessed | didn't amount to so much but l
could afford to oblige such a man, so 1
stayed and wired my excuses to California.
They replied: DO whatever that man
wants
81 want to say again never word passed
between us about any position. don't be-
lieve General Harrison has single promise
out regarding positions under his administra-
tion. 1 don't believe man ever went into
the Presidential chair so free from personal
pledges as General Harrison will on
March 4.
AN oUTsPoKEN CANDIDATE.
81 am free to say l am a candidate for
Commissioner of Pensions. Ii there be one
thing under this Government that 1 do
know about it is pensions. Ever since the
national body of the Grand Army had a
Comm ittee on Pensions, 1 have been on
that committee, and am on it now. I'm
here to attend meeting of that committee.
1 am happy to say that there are good
many men all over this country who think
I'm fit for the place, and are earnest in my
support. They are all good men.
~ am one of those who think General
Harrison will feel constrained to make his
selections from a restricted field. say that
because it wouldn't be good policy to super
cede very badly disabled soldier like
General Black with an able-bodied man
character and competency, of course, enter
ing first into consideration. Weight of cir
cumstances will throw his choice on man
who, if competent, is also short an arm or
leg or two legs. 1 hope it will be the lat
ter. If it don't come to me it won't break
my heart or cause me to desire to retract one
single word have ever said in commenda-
ton of General Harrison. I can, l think,
congratulate myself on this one fact-there
is but one of my ex-commanders-in-chie of
the G. A. r. who isn't in favor of my ap-
pointment."