The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1889-10-11
TANNER TO DALZELL.
TX COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS wRI" Es

AN INTERESTING LETTER.
The following is the letter from ex-
Commissioner Tanner to Hon. j. M.
Dalzell:
WASHINGTON d. c., Sept. 10th, 1889.
Confidential.
Hon. J. M. Dalzell, Cald we'll
My DEAR DALzELL-I have yours
of the 10th. think | have read all
that has been printed as coming from
your lips or pen. For your greet
warmth of good feeling l thank you
from the bottom of my heart. And
now, once for all about the deputy
ship, l want to say to you that the
President never said one word to me
about you. | cannot come out and
say that publicly you must not quote
it but it is Gods truth. The appoint
ed first deputy was from Mobiles state,
and had lost two limbs. Of course /
couldn't kick l imagine that your
keen eye has caused you to discern
and that you are contemplating the
effect in Ohio of two things recently
done in the pension office. When l
say recently mean since l practically
went out, for while l am a commits
sioner, and will be until my success
sor is appointed and qualified, | am
taking no part in the duties of the
office, holding myself on leave.
While commissioner ! issued two
orders which l thought, and still think,
were mighty good ones. First, that
$4,000 men on the pension roll at less
than $4 month, should all, unless
they had medical examination with
in year. be ordered for examination
before their home board, with view
to putting them up at least 81 month
pension or drop them off the rolls, for
it was and is my opinion that for a
man who is worthy of any pension at
all, dollar week is small enough to
consider a pension. My second order
was that thereafter, in the settlement
of a pension claim, the order OF a
private, if he was man of good
character and standing, should amount
to as much in the settlement of claim
as the word of man who has perhaps
worn the shoulder straps of second
lieutenant. The acting commissioner
revoked both of these orders, accord
ing to the Washington Post and
other papers, but as he is man who
dare not say his soul is his own, he
did it under the instructions of Noble
or Bussey. l am told this afternoon
that the order revoking my decision il
small pension cases has been rescinded
! but you can see what the spirit is, anC
how under heavens name are they go
ing to make the boys believe there il
to be no change in the policya
Smith has also issued an order stop
ping all reratings. He did not objec
. to it until after l had rerated him VI
to $72 for the loss of his arm and leg
J thereby putting S6,035 in his pocket
{ | held and still hold that he was @ Al
ly entitled to it, but is it not contempt
, ible that man who had had that don
t for him, and who acquiesced cordial
{ in his own case, should now be 80 pre-
}, bounced against the rerating of poo
8 devils who, perhaps from the effect @
!. malarial poisoning, chronic diarrhoe'
9 or some disease oil that kind, suffe
: twice as much as a man does frol
4 amputation. | want to saw to 20
o that did not resign until the presider
o and the secretary had both said to n
iu the same minute that the comple
report of the investigating commltte
|. which lay before them contained n
word which could impeach the honest
of my action in the slightest degree
Then / had to consider whether | W;
l. man enough to decline to continue
position where l knew my immed
ate Official superiors did not desil
me, even conceding that l could sts
J. against their wishes, which was not
=. all true.
< have not the slightest doubt b.
e that l would have been removed if
e had not resigned-in fact l know
e Noble had certainly pronounced b
y ultimatum to be my head or b
l. resignation, and of course break
n his cabinet would have embarrasst
t, Harrison greatly. Now that ! ha
ID the complete report, and have go
8 through it carefully and thoroughly,
e say to you, as one whose good opinic
le I value, that all under heaven tn
'r charged me with is too much liberali
1t and too much speed in the granting
g pensions. ! think you will agree wi
e me that we have had impecuniosi
III and procrastiustion enough, so that
'r would take more than SIX months
he my time to bring it up to a deoe
n, average. OF the future know not
I'd ing. If the boys, and particular
Ia those in Ohio, asquiesce, why it is ss
Ill to say that Tanner will be left witt
he is-in the soup.
Among the promotions announc
in the pension Office is that of Harris
Il. Bruce, of Colorado, to be memt
" of the board of pension appeals in
ch Secretary's office for $4,000 a ye
40 He has been detailed for duty in
as s4cretary's Office for some months, a
ne was appointed by the secretary one
W the commission which investigated
es pension office. Don't you think
,sV would have looked a little better
pe they had waited at least until / h
ra passed out of official life before II
ci' promoted him? Some will be cyni,
y, enough to reflect upon cause a
" effect, service and reward. With
on m my heart very truly yours.
vi JAMES TANNER
be p. 81 have written to you W
be great freedom. Don't give me Z
rt cause to regret it by saying anyth
it aoou' 'i's ieV'er' ~ Is W you Sol
fee
.,a- lo. W