Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-17
TANNERS REsCINDED ORDER
Sharp Criticism of it by the Interior
Observation-Disclosures on Gen. Bussey.

observation-disclosures on Gen. Bussey.
statement prepared at the Interior depart
ment goes at length into an explanation Of the
reason Why the order Of Commissioner Of PEN
sions Tanner. advancing pensions from 81 to
- per month in certain cases, were rescinded.
The section of the Revised Statutes Ia quoted
which provides for the fixing of pensions on
the basis of q medical examination Of the PEN
sioner. If the arbitrary orders Of the COM
missioner are the basis" it is asserted, lit must
result that q few are made fsvorites and given
apsrteular amount and the great mass OF the
men who have to depend upon medical eIami-
nations are put at great disadvantage. There
fore it was decided that there is no authority
In law for an order arbitrarily increasing q
great mass Of mems pensions in the face OF the
statute already cited and which order il not
extended to all the pensioners cases.
The order Of Commissioner Tanner Of April
Is. 1889, is given as follows: In all cases
where a pensionable disability is found the
rate allowed shall not be less than "a per
month, to date from and including March "a,
1889"
ORDER ARBITRARY, USAUrHoRIzRD AND ILLEGAL.
The order" the statement sets forth, ''as
made, was arbitrary, unqualified and required
an advance without examination to the amount
=
unauthorized. unqualified and illegal order for
every pensioner to DE advanced to - who was
receiving less. Il was made April 25. and it
was proposed to have it take effect March o."
1t is further claimed that ''such a course as
this would not be Of benefit to the soldiers ulti-
mately, as 1t Is intended only to benefit those
who are the least disabled; in other words.
those who have the least claim for disability.
II one may judge that these men are to be ad-
vaneed upon mere opinion as to what should
be the least amount of pension, the others
might justly claim that their more severe
wounds and disabilities were quite as uncom-
pensated as those of less degree. In other
words, whenever the opinion of a commissioner,
without investigation, Is substituted for actual
examination as to disability every mans pen
sion 10 put at risk. either to be exaggerated so
that the government or people would not allow
1t or to be SO disparaged as that nothing could
be obtained"
In conclusion it is asserted that sit must also
be obvious in all this that there is no express
sion. as there is no disposition, to prevent any
deserving soldiers from acquiring all the pen
sion his disability entities him to-either by
original application or application for increase.
AL that Is being done Is to maintain the law,
to be literally construed, but by no means dis
regarded. and to allow each in his turn, with
out partiaity, all he is entitled to. If the law
Is abandoned the weak, the distant and those
without powerful friends will suffer, while
favorites will flourish.
CORPORAL TANNER ARRAIaNs GEN. BussEY.
Corporal Tanner, in the course Of an inter-
view yesterday in regard to the reversal of his
order, said: II arraign Gen. Bussey for having
undertaken to put me in a false position before
the public. He conveys the impression that
the effect of my order of April rs was to arbi-
trariy raise all pensioners the roll less than
"a per month between 80 900 and "a ,00O) to "A
per month On the contrary, the order clearly
shows TO any one who reads II that the arbi-
trary part of il, and the whole of it, in fact re-
ferred to cases allowed on and after the 9th of
March. the day took Office. / determined that
would not issue certificate for less than 81
per month If had the power to prevent it. L
looked into the law and found that clearly and
indisputably / had the power. 1t is broadly
stated that the ratings fixed by the medical
boards are subject to revision BY the commits
sioner.' No one will intelligently dispute that
had the power to take up every case rated
at less than "a per month and order the certif-
icate issued at "a. had broadly dec iared nv
purpose; had nothing to conceal. / saved a
vast amount OF time and trouble by issuing
that order. Then l gave verbal orders that
those Of tbs s., 000 pensioned at less than "a
per month who had an application on file for
increase, accompanied by certificate of medi-
cal examination held within q year, should
have their claim adjudicated on that examine
ton and go up to stleast "A per month or go
on the roll Il ordered verbally that all the
others should be sent order for a medical
examination and abide the result on q like
basis. think most of them would have gone
up TO "a. There il plenty of law for it. Gen.
Bussey to the contrary notwithstanding"
AN OPEN SECRET
Mr.. Tanner also said that lit is an open
secret in departmental circles that the judicial
reasons of Judge Bussey are the evolutions
Of the mind of gentleman from Kentucky who
was appointed under the late administration on
the labor force Of the patent Office, tried before
the civil service commission of principal exam
liner IN the pension office, failed to pass and
was afterward appointed a member of the
pension board OF appeals in the secretary's
ONCE, salary $1,000 per annum, to sit in judg-
ment on the acts Of the commissioner of pen
sions. Having myself seen in his own hand
writing his statement that he is a lifelong
resident of Kentucky and for twenty years
editor OF q democratic paper, and his further
had served IN either the army or the navy,
that he served in neither army, and, therefore
was particularly well qualified to do justice in
place In the pension office, am not sur
prised that such a man should pronounce
favorably on the presumed suficiency of I
cents-a-day pension for veteran who as the
result OF the contact with the miasma and foul
water OF the swamps, is now a sufferer from
chronic diarrhSa, but what fail to compre-
bend Is how Gen. Bussey comes to permit him
self to put his name to such a decision. l do
not believe this decision will be permitted to
stand"