The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-10-17
THAT HAPPY FAMILY.
Noble, Tanner & Bussey Airing Their
Little Row For the Public
Benefit.
The Secretary Issues a Statement
Showing Why He Reversed
the Corporal.
The Commissioner Comes Back and Nir
tuaIly Charges Noble and Bussey with
Deliberate Falsehood.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16.-A statement pre-.
pared at the interior department in support
Of the action of Secretary Noble, resembling
Commissioner Tanners order advancing
pensions from s. to 81 per month in certain
cases, was given out tonight. II calls Mt
tention to section l6ss revised statutes,
providing that in cases of permanent and
special disabilities, no increase of pension
be allowed to commence prior TO the date OF
the examining surgeons certificate, and
enters at length into a consideration of the
various degrees of disability and the reason
for having allowed 81 pension.
"If now. by order of the commissioner"
SAYS the statement, without regard To
medical examination, n man who has been
receiving 81 is advanced 20 -, without the
man who was more disabled and has been
rated at 81 being himself advanced. IT IL
obvious an injustice is being done to the
| HIGHER nrnded man. IL. however, the allow
| ance is made after an examination by sur
| econ, everything has been done III due or
| der and according 10 the law. III the arbi-
trary orders of the commissioner are the
| basis il must result that few are made
| favorites and the great mass, who have To
| u
nut at great disadvantage; therefore il
| was decided that there is no authority III
| law for the order arbitrarily increasing
| great mass of pensions III the face OF the
statute, and which order is not extended TO
all cases."
Quotations are then made from Tanners
recent letter 10 Dalzell, in which Tanner
SAYS he issued the order with the view to
pulling these 81 men up 10 at least - or
drop them OFF the rolls, and i'll which he
said he ordered them for examination be-
fore their home board. The statement
saws: ",rhe order as made was arbitrary.
unqualified. and required an advance with
out examination 10 the amounts specified,
81 per month; II did not propose TO drop
any one. as the letter pretended it did, and
il did not order any one for examination as
the letter pretended il did. II was an un-
authorized unqualified and illegal order
for every pensiOner 10 be advanced TO 81
who are receiving less: il WAS made April
%, and II was proposed TO have II take
effect March q.
"Slight consideration of this matter will
show that to give away $4,000 month of
| public MONEYS. such an order as this
would will be the beginning of a system by
which millions could be expended, uncon-
trolled by law as IL was unauthorized by
precedent. There would be Itp more harm
in giving to Senator Manderssn 1900 or
more, than there would be III giving 5000
men $4,000. In either case would be an
unauthorized distribution of public moneys
and the doors of the Treasury mightSas
well be open TO actual invasion as
TO have such warrants drawn upon IL and
forced upon il without question. II is also
obvious such course A. this would not
benefit the soldiers ultimately. as il in in
tended only to benefit those who are the
least disabled. There ia no intention, no
disposition 10 prevent any deserving sol
} dier from acquiring all the pension his dis
ability entities him to, either 10y original
application or application for nm increase;
all that is being done is TO maintain the
law, which is 10 be literally construed, but
by no means disregarded. and TO allow each
in his turn. without ptrtiality, all he is en-
! titled to-
Pension Commissioner Tanner was seen
this evening regarding the above statement
aud made a lengthy reply, IN which he
sharply criticizes Assistant Secretary Bus
sey and alleges that the judicial reasons of
the latter are enlanntions from the mind Of
member of the pension board of appeals
who was appointed under the Cleveland
administration, after having failed to pass
civil service examination. Tanner ar
raigns Bussey for undertaking 20 put him
in false position before the public The
order in question. he saws refers Ia
cases allowed on and after the date he took
office. March "a. He had determined he
would not issue certificates for less than $l
per month. If he had the power TO prevent
! il. He looked into the law and found he
had that power. as il is broadly stated that
ratings fixed by medical boards are subject
TO revision by the commissioner. He saved
vast amount of time and trouble
! by issuing that order. Then, said
he, | gave verbal orders that those
pensioned at less than 81, who
had applications on file for the increase, nc
companied by certificate Of the medical
examination held within year. should
have theirapplication ON that examination
and go up TO 81 ON the roll. also ordered
verbally that all others should be sent an
order for medical examination and abide
tue result ON like basis. Tanner contends
there is plenty Of law for his action.