The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1889-10-25


your desire to maintain the integrity Of your
character ami the legality Of your proceedings:
but 1t Is not the question what may yet and
hereafter be found out about these men. The
question is
WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE
upon the record as it stood when the judgment
was rendered, aud the materiality and impor-
lance Of this question arises not only from the
effect it may have upon the particular individuals
named in these several papers, but upon the
course of procedure that will affect, If it goes
money at the command of the government.
which might be distributed, illegally and sum-
marily, to those who are not as much entitled to
it as OF thousands whose cases have not
yet been heard. 1t may be that this government
Is strong and great, and has at it's command
surplus that no other nation has ever had,
but II sums OF money to the amounts above
mentioned may be granted without any further
consideration OF fact or law than seems to have
been given in these cases. it will depend solely
on a single officers disposition whether the re-
sources of the government shall be sufficient for
Its maintenance or not. There are more than
enough of these applications al1eady in the field.
and increasing daily. to exhaust indeed the sur
plus. OF which SO much has been said in connec-
ton with this matter, and I am informed that
the applications for reratings are greatly on the
increase, and now reach the amount of from
seven to eight Thousand week. do not ask
nor desire, so far as I am concerned. a re-exami-
nation of these applicants: but what I insist
upon is that there
SHALL BE RECONSIDERATION
Of these allowances on the Record, and that any
further allowances for them that may be made
shall be made in due course of proceedings upon
ADVANCEMENT OF the cases before those of others
equally meritorious. Your statement
that the pension board of review reported that
out OF twenty-four cases re-rated one was
broadly and TWO reasonably open to suspicion.
in connection with what have already pointed
out in these other cases. indicates that there is
enforcement Of the law in these mat
tiers than has been recently prac-
ticed for the public safety But when it
f1cial responsibility. and the good of the people.
the preservation OF the treasury and the melting
out of exact justice to all and giving the pen
s1oner who is abroad and unprotected the same
rights and same sums of money as to him who,
by official influence, attempts to get his claim
preferred, shall act. as am doing in the pres
ent instance, regardless OF personal cOnsidera-
tions, and intent upon the strict and exact en-
fOrcement Of the law.
The secretary further says that ne intends
to have all these cases re-examined and has
ordered Gn investigation of the practices of
the pension Office and that he will defer any
further orders until the Investigating board
reports. The letter closes as follows: II
write this that you may be fully advised of
my views and purpose and my belief in my
authority to control all abuses in this de-
partment by whatever means I deem legal
and efficient"
THE FIRST 1NSTALMENT.
Secretary Noble intends in few days to
give to the press the entire reports submit
ted by the board appointed to investigate
Commissioner Tanners administration of
the pension Office. The letter given to- night
is but the first instalment Of what is to be a
vigorous defense of the position of the adj
ministration taken in relation to the man
agement of the pension Office under Tanner.
T. h., kl,ck 81
side of the case shall be given to the public
In u few GAYS. The annual report OF the
fiscal year 1SSS-S9 of the commissioner Of
persons has been submitted to the secretary
OF the interior. There were at the close of
the year 459,7 pensioners. There were
added to the rolls during the year the names
OF 81 .921 new pensioners, and the names of
L754 whose pensions had been previously
an aggregate of SO, 675 pensioners
pensioners were dropped from the
rolls for various causes, leaving net in
crease to the rolls of 81. names The
average annual value of each pension at the
close of the year is shown to have been
$13S. Is. The amount paid for pensions
during the year was $S8. 275, 1925. The
total amount disbursed by the agents for all
purposes was $S9, 131 968 A. Amount paid
as fees to attorneys ST. .365, 5S3. ~. There
was disbursement of $14, 515.72 for the
the payment OF arrears of pensions in cases
where the original pension was granted prior
to JAM 25, 1879, and the date of commence
ment of pension was subsequent to discharge
or death. In the aggregate l PAS, 146 pen
sion claims have been filed since 1861 and
in the same period 7S9. 121 have been al
lowed. The amount disbursed on account Of
pensions since 1861 has been ST. ,O52. 218,-
413. II. The issue of certificates during the
year shows grand total of 1925 OF
this number 81, 921 were original cerrif-
Gates
SOME RECOMMENDATIONS
Commissioner Tanner recommends the es-
Enlistment of two additional pension agen-
cies to relieve the overworked offices at
Columbus, Ohio; Chicago, Indianapolis and
Topeka, Kan. He recommends that con-
gress be asked to amend the act of June 6.
1874, so as to extend the benefit of ali pen
sion laws as to rates to all pensioners whose
pensions have been granted by special
acts passed subsequent to said date.
and that the benefit of pension he
granted to the widows Of soldiers
who died from causes originating in the ser
vice prior to March 4, 1861, during the time
of peace. He further recommends, as did
his predecessor. thai the act of March 3,
1877. be amended SO as to grant pensions TO
those who, having participated in the rebel
lion against the United States, subsequently
enlisted in the navy and were disabled
therein. The act referred to confines it's op-
erations to those only who, under the same
conditions, enlisted in the army of the United
States The commissioner calls attention to
many Irregularities in the rates of pen
siona Eighteen dollars per month. it ap-
pears ia the highest rate of pension which