The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1889-11-07
Tanner Still on Deck.

From time to time the old soldiers
of the country are likely to hear from
the men who fell with Tanner and
who have incurred the displeasGre of
the administr alton of Mr.. Harrison
because they permitted themselves to
be rerated and gladdened with arrears.
The disposition of these men is unmis-
takably wicked. If they have their
way and their criticisms take effect,
General Hsrrison's administration will
be more unpopular with the soldiers
than that of his predecessor, but upon
very different grounds. The Indiana
speakers on the republican side, as
sured their hearers a year or two ago
that the administration would be
freehanded. Tanner supposed that
Harrison meant what all the speakers
had said and he tried his level best to
carry out the Indiana promises.
DR.. William NJ. GOOdlOve, who was
one of the surgeons to fall with Tan
nee, has defended him in letter. 1t
ought to interest all soldiers who were
led to believe that this was to be an
administration for the old soldier.
DIR. Goodlove justifies his own rerat-
ing by which he secured an advance of
81 month and ne gives u number of
cases out of the report of Secretary
Mobiles committee, which. he thinks,
were properly rerated. Having set
forth the particulars of those deServ-
ing cases, he says:
Gentlemen of the committee, this
sort of work will not do. Your pretty
little court is fortunately not a tribu-
nal of last resort. Without doubt your
acts and this whole matter will be
thoroughly investigated by condfe5s
before a committee that will not Con-
duct its operations secretly nor stab
honorable men and faithful soldiers in
the dark. | notice this impartial COM
mittee, III their eagerness to down
Tanner" do not publish the list of
pension office employees rerated under
General Blacks administration. II
they were as anxious as they profess.
to throw all possible light on this
question they might also have pub
lIshed a long list of cases of reratiugs
under General Black, which would
have included men of both political
parties high in official public circles.
as well as Others more inconspicuous.
My official position brought me in
daily relation with General Black, and
l do not hesitate to say that ne was
always just and liberal to the soldiers
When brought to his attention he
injustice or do the proper thing by the
soldiers. So far as l know. he was
never interfeFed with or reprimanded
for so doing by his official superiOrs.
Retaining my position when the pres
ent administration came into power.
my course in fixing ratings or re-rat-
ingS never deviated from that l pur-
sued under the former administration
am proud of what did and am ready
to stand or fall by my record.
with Commissioner Tanners fight
/ have nothing to do. 1 believe and
know that no man ever presided over
the pension bureau who tried harder
to do his whole duty to his government
his superiors and the pensioners than
did he. 1t is notorious that insubordi.
nation, spying and talebearing were
encouraged among his employees by
his superiors.. His hands were tied
and it is small wonder that he should
fail. In demOlishing him, however.
do not propose that the committee al
three shall demolish me also, or thai
the republican party shall continue K
masquerade as the only friends of thu
soldiers, when. if this report is to b,
inferentially believed. was dismissed
for exercising the same liberaIlity to
ward them that / did under a demo
| cratic administration.