River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-08-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular coucspondontI
Washington. July %, 80

~ EAAgAA@AN - ~ L444 J 4I4&s
From our regular correspondent
Washington. July %, 80.
Secretary Noble has created a com.
motion 10y appointing committee 10
investigate the re-rating of pensions
FOR the past twelve months. What
does it mean"l was asked on all sides,
and all sorts OF sensational answers
have been given. Your correspon-
dent has interviewed Secretary Noble,
Assistant Secretary Bussey and Com
missioner Tanner on the subject, and
can therefore tell exactly what it
means. For quite a while Secretary
Noble has been flooded with complaints
about the lOOseness of the methods in
vogue in the Pension Office in regard
to the re-rating of pensions; it was al
legged that a large number of the en-
ployes of that Office had within the
last year had themselves re-rated il.
legally, and they were drawing large
amounts OF money to which they were
not entitled. At first the Secretary
paid little attention to these CON-
plants, believing them to be ON par
with the usual complaints Of the class
Of people who oppose our whole PEN
sion system and everything connected
Herewith. But the complaints con-
tin1ing TO increase he called the at
tenti0n Of Commissioner Tanner to
the matter. and that gentleman, after
little Investigation, came to the con-
clusiOn that the Te-Tating had been
very carelesslg done, if there had been
no criminality on the part Of the en-
ployes having charge of the matter.
il Was then decided as the best
thing to do TO have the system
thoroughly investigated, and at the
request of Commissioner Tanner the
same committee has been authorized
TO investigate the charges of fayOriU-
ism that have been made against the
Office. The system of re-rating now
in use was managed by Gen. Black
when lie was Commissioner of Pensions
and nobody blames Commissioner
Tanner for what has happened under
it, though 1t is expected that the in
vestigatiCn VIII show that certain
employees presumed on his well known
frIendiiness towards the pensioners to
prevent his looking too closely into
the doubtful cases they had re-rated.
The committee now investigating
the matter consists of DR.. Geo. Ewing
ana IL. L. Bruce, Of the board OF pen
sion appeals, and Judge T. l.. Camp
bell. of the Assistant Attorney Gener-
ais office. Their instructions are TO
get at the facts. no matter who they
may effect. They are now holding
daily sessions in a room at the Pen
sion office.
Attorney General Miller went to
Deer Park in response to a telegram,
Wednesday to consult with the Presi-
dent about certain matters relating to
the department Of Justice.
It is said that Thomas Furlong, of
st. Louis, formerly railroad detec-
tive, will soon be appointed chief of
the Treasury Secret Service. lie was
at first opposed by POwderly and the
labor organizations on account of his
work during The st. Louis railroad
strikes, but Powderly has recently
written to the Secretary Of the Treas
Ury Withdrawing all opposition and
his appointment is daily expected.
representative Ewart of North
Carolina denies the report that the re.
publican Representatives, from the
south bad decided to cast their votes
for Representative Brewer or the same
state for Speaker of the House until
they could get their claims for pat
rOuage recognized by the admini5tra-
ton Nj. Ewart says he has no
complaint whatever to make against
the administration, and that he pre-
fers Mckinley for Speaker, but is pre-
pared to support Burrough, Cannon or
any other republican that fayors the
Blair bill and the repeal of the inter-
revenue laws.
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
Bachelor does not believe in Mug
wumpery Among the applicants for
Chief of a divisision in one Of the
bureaus under him was a 81 800 clerk
VINO was heavily endorsed by leading
republicans. Accidently il was learn.
ed that the same clerk was an appli-
cant for the same position under the
last administration and few minutes
search revealed the fact that at that
time his endorsers were all democrats.
lie is one of the thrifty kind that al
ways manage to keep solid with the
party in power. lie not only got left
IN getting promotion but, it having
been found necessary in order to keep
within an appropriation for two
81 600 clerks to be reduced to sI,40O.
he was one Of them.
The impression among most repub-
licans is that the civil service com.
mission is unnecessarily bothering it.
self about the discharge, of certain
democratic officials. There is no law
to prevent discharges.
1t has been found necessary to
make a change in the civil service
rules governing the Railway Mail Ser
vice. The laborers are to be except
ed.
The Presidents horses have been
taken to Deer Park.
--a-s . -
OGs Gr0re.
There was a dance at Joe and VIM.
~, 1es-s1-fa~'- 1aof @a4r5v,1oxg NIGHT nraf