The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-17

The Former Loses His Temper In Replying
to the Latter's Decision.

The Former Loses His Temper In Replying
to the Latter's Decision.
WASHINGTON, Oct 16.-Pension Commits
sloner Tanner was asked this afternoon
whether he had anything to say respecting
the recent decision of Assistant Secretary
Bussey, overruling the Commissioners order
OF April %. last He said: &
1T seems to be necessary, in the interest
OF truth. that / should pay little attention
to the honorable Assistant Secretary of the
Interior. Gen. Cyrus Bussey, in relation to
MS overruling OF my order OF April 70. IN re-
gard to those pensions rated at less than
four dollars per month. AS General Bussey
refers to me as the late Commissioner
may be pardoned for not being unduly
bound by official etiquette. 1feel less bound
by 1T In the present instance by reason
OF the fact that it is an open secret IN
departmental circles here that the judicial
reasons of Judge Bussey are the evolu-
tions of the mind of q gentleman from Ken
tucky, who was appointed under the late
administration on the labor force of the
Patent Office, tried before the Ciyil-service
Commission for principal examiner in the
Pension Office. failed to pass and was after
ward appointed a member of the pension
board of appeals in the Secretary's office. at
salary OF 1000 per annum, to sit IN Judg-
ment on the acts of the Commissioner OF
Pensions.
Having myself seen in his own hand
writing his statement that he is q lifelong
resident of Kentucky, and for twenty
years editor of Democratic paper. and his
further statement, in answer to the ques-
tion if he had served in either the
army or navy, that he served in neither
army, and, therefore, was particularly well
qualified to do Justice In a place in the Pen
sion Office, am not surprised that such
man should pronounce favorably on the
presumed suficiency Of seven-cents-a-day
: pension for veteran who, as result OF
the contact with the miasma and foul
water OF the swamps, is now sufferer from
chronic diarrhea; but what | fail to c0m-
prehend is how General Bussey comes to
permit himself to put his name to such q
decision. He has little regard for General
HarrisOn's declaration, last fall, which
thrilled every veterans heart when he said
1t is no time to use lthe .apothecary's s
scales when you come to weigh the services
OF the men who saved the Nation If it be
the gait to weigh out seven cents per day
for chronic diarrhea, l had much rather
General Bussey should be the weigh-mas-
ter. and have no assistance from me.
II do not believe this decision will be per-
mltted to stand. When they post them
selves on the power the Commissioner has
they vii see that it too broadly gives the
lie to all our promises for years past. /
yesterday sent toIthe Pension Office for a
ing my order of April %, and found it had
been withdrawn l look for revised
edition. arraign General Bussey for un-
dertaking to- put me In false position be-
fore the public. Such, at least, is the re-
suit of the wording of his decision, whether
ne intended to do it or not. He conveys
the impression that the effect OF
my order of April % was to ar
bittrarily raise all pensioners on the
81. 900 and $4,000, to 81 per month. On the
contrary, the order clearly shows to any
one who reads 1t that the arbitrary part OF
it and the whole of it, IN fact, referred to
eases allowed on and after the 9th OF
March-the day took office. determined
that would not issue certificate for less
than s. per month if had the power tC
prevent it. / looked into the law and found
that clearly and indisputably l had the
power.
1T is broadly stated that the ratings
isfxed by the medical boards are subject tt
revision by the commissioner. No one viii
intelligently dispute that / had the power
| per month and order the certificate issneC
at "a. had broadly declared my .pur
pose;. 1 had nothing to conceal.
| saved a vast amount. of time and
| trouble by issuing that order. Then gave
| verbal orders that those of the $1,000 pen
| stoned at less than "a per month who haC
an application on file for increase, accom-
| panied by u certificate of medical examina
tion held within year, should have theil
| claim adjudicated on that examination
anu 20 up W stl icdSt % per uOutu VI 70 Ol
the roll l ordered verbally that all th'
| others should be sent an order for a medi
cal examination and abide the result on
| like basis. i think most of them would
have gone up to S4 There is plenty Of Law
for it. General Bussey to the contrary not
withstanding. He says there is no pre-
cedent. / say that every Commissions
| who has preceded me has left records o
precedent. and when he makes that brasil
statement he simply succeeds in illuminat
| inp his iCnorance