Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-09-12

Tanner seems mt last to have been sus-
lended preparatory to his removal from
; - commissionership in which the
pcesltlent cannot afford to keep him,
y Vt from which he can hardly afford tn
Aismiss him. He is reported TO have re-
o1gncd, though II Is again said that
A1s wife will not let him and Grand
Army associates are said to I've also ad-
vlslng him to stick. The president can
AFFORD to offend the Grand Army as well
- Mrs. Tanner in just cause but his
trouble comes from the fact that II is
hardly fair to kick out Tanner only be-
cause he chooses to understand the Re-
publican doctrine rs it was proclaimed
In the last campaign, and not as 1t
needs to he construed and maintained
when the party handles the reins of
government.
While seeking success, the party was
liberal In its promises 10 the soldier ele-
Snent and free in the expression of its
readiness to spend the government sur
plus. Tanner was an applicant for the
c0mmissionership of pensions as the
soldier boy candidate, expressly pre-
sented as the man who would reduce
the surplus for the soldier boys benefit;
20 that IL does not seem TO he clearly
Just to put him out when there is no
charge against him save of his costly
redemption of the Republican campaign
promises.
Tanners performance would bankrupt
the government, and there is nothing to
do but to take off his head all of which
however does not make II any the less a
mean thing for the president TO do who
has secured his election upon the free
promises which his too honest hench-
man undertakes to redeem. President
Harrison's administration cannot do
more for the pensioner than did its
Democratic predecessor. II Is bound
by the laws and cannot approve
the reckless shoveling out of money
that the wild Tanner has instituted, his
simple expedient being the re-rating of
pensions, which il seems he has power
10 do ut his pleasure. 1t is found that
the Ieusion Office clerks have taken good
care of themselves and their friends |;
but doubtless If Tanner was permitted
r. have free swing he would in the end
have every pension re-rated.
For he Is not himself accused of cor
rupt inducement to his liberality. He
h only accused of folly. He is an en-
thusiastic simpleton aud doubtless would
think he was doing right if he gave
every dollar of the country's revenue to
the pensioners.
n. tn1 he "a
mission is to fatten the soldier and that
he Is Its divinely chosen instrument ;
and he Is going to give the pensioners
oil the money that he can lay his hands
ON, II he dies for It, So that there is no
way to subdue him but to take his head
or.
II Is perhaps good thing for the
country that II has had this experienc,
with Tanner, costly rs it has been. II
Invites attention to pension office meth
Ods, and shows how great is the power
Of the commissioner in increasing the
debt Of the nation. II shows also the
great greediness of the government pen.
sioners and shows the shosl of shark.
thstsuround the bureau
!. The public attention which is invited tc
the dOings Of the pension office will hard
~ be favorable to its further growth IN
power. 1t is bureau whose expendi-
tlIe shXild be steadily decreasing instead
Of increasing. To-day there are more
pensioners on the rolls than ever, their
number being nearly half million
aud the war was over quarter of "A cen,
tury ago. On June 80, 1855, there were
345, l25 pensioners on the rolls June 80
1850, $50, 725. For the fiscal year ended
June 80, 1855, the appropriations sol
pensions were S76, 1856, si6, and the pay
ments s64 1879, ,siS. For the year ending
June 80, 1883, the appropriations wer,
80, 473. 900, and the payments Sss, 275, iI3
Why should there he this great in
crease, at this late day, in the number o
pensioners The only answer is that il
Is due to the steady feeding of the pen
sion list from new sources until shortly
we may expect that every soldier, Will
his wife and children, will bc pensioned
down to the latest generation of them
and regardless of whether the ancestor
volunteered or was drafted, jumped hi
bounty or was honorably discharged.