Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-10-03
TANNER IN THE SOUP.
That's Where He Says the
President Has Put Him.
Confidential Letter From Him
to Private Dalzell.
He SAYS HE WOULD HAVE BEEN
REMOVED IF HE HAD NOT
RESIGNED.
ADefense of His Work and An I'm
parchment OfHarrison.

peacnment OTHarr1sOn.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, Sept. 25.-A special
to the Republic from Caldwell, o., gives
the following letter, which explains it.
self. Its authenticity is fully vouched
for:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
OFFICE OF THE, COMMISSIONER.
WASHINGTON, d. c., SEP. 10.
LConfdentaLl
Hon. J. NJ. DalzelI, Caldwell:
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 great warmth of
good feeling, thank you from the bot
tom of my heart.
And now, once for all, about the
deputyship, 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 one appointed
first deputy was from Mobiles State and
had lost two limbs. Of course, 1 could
not kick.
1 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 Of
flee. When | say recently, l mean
since practically went out, for while l
am commissioner, and will be until my
successor is appointed and qualities, 1
q m 70 lyi rn RI in hn 61f Of
office, holding myself on leave.
While commissioner issued two or
ders which thought, and still think
were mighty good ones: First that the
SO, 900 men on the Pension roll at less
than 81 month should all, unless they
had had medical examination within
a year, be ordered for examination be-
fore their home board, with a view to
putting them up at least $4 per 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 be
considered pension. My second order
was that thereafter in the settlement of
pension claims the word of a private, if
he was man of good character and
standing, should amount to as much in
the settlement of a claim as the word
of a man who had perhaps worn the
shoulder straps of a second lieutenant.
The acting commissioner revoked both
of these orders, according to the Wash
ington Post and other papers, but as he
is man who dare not say his soul is
his own, he did it under the instruction
of Noble or Bussey. [ am told this
afternoon that the order revoking my
decision in small pension cases has
been rescinded, but you can see what
the spirit is; and how under Heavens
name are they going to make the boys
believe that there is to be no change in
the policy?
Smith also issued an order stopping
all reratings. He did not object to it
until after I had rerated him and put
him up to $72 for the loss of an arm and
leg, thereby putting Sc, ,035 in his pock-
ct. held, and still hold, that he was
clearly entitled to it. But is it not con-
temptible that a man who had had
that done for him, and who had acqui-
esced in it cordially In his own case,
should now be so pronounced against
the rerating of poor devils who, per-
haps, from the effects of malarial pois-
oning, chronic diarrhea or some disease
of that kind, suffer twice as much as a
man does from amputatiOns?
want to say to you that I did not re-
sign until the President and the Secre-
tary had both said to me in the same
minute that the complete report of the
investigating committe which lay be-
fore them contained no word which
could impeach the honesty ofmy action
in the slightest degree. Then I had to
consider whether 1 was man enough to
decline to continue in position where
1 knew my immediate official superiors
did not desire me, even conceding that
I could stay against their wishes, which
is not at all true. have not the slight
est doubt but that | would have been
removed if had not resigned; in fact,
l know it.. Noble had certainly pro-
nOunced his ultimatum to be my head
or his resignation; and, of course, a
barassed Harrison greatly.
Now that have the complete report,
and have gone throught it carefully any
thoroughly, I say to you, as one whose
good opinion 1 value, that all under
heavens they can charge me with is too
much liberality and too much speed in
the granting of pensions. l think you
will agree with me that we have had
impecuniosity and procrastination
enough; so that it would take more
than six months of time to bring it up
to decent average.
OF the future I know nothing. If
the boys, and particularly those in
Ohio, acquiesce. why it is safe to say
that Tanner will be left where he is-in
the soup.
Among the promotions announced in
the pension Office night before last is
that of Harrison L. Bruce, of Colorado,
to be member of the board Of pension
appeals in the Secretary's office at
s., 900 year. He had been detailed for
duty in the Secretary's Office for some
months, and was appointed by the See
retary, one the commission which in
vestigated the pension Office. Don't
you think it would have looked little
better if they had waited at least until
after had passed out of official life be-
fore they promoted him? Some will
be cynical enough to reflect upon. cause
and effect, service and reward. With
all my heart,
Very truly yours,
JAMES TANNER.
r 49,