National Republican., 1878-06-14
BENTLEY's REPLY.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
pESsInN.lEEInr


PEssfON-OFFICE,
WASHINGTON, ID. c., May 81.
DEAR COLONEL: ! am in receipt OF yours Of
the 9th instant aud | need not tell YOU that
l appreciate your kindly interest and assur-
ances Of cunfidcuce
On the 4th Of March Senator FERRY intro.
duced bill to increase pensions for the loss Of
an arm at or above the elbow. or q leg at or
above the knee, from ia to $50 per month ;
and for loss of arm below the elbow, or leg be
low the knee. from SIS To $50 per month and
Tor the loss of one hand and one foot from S36
TO Si5 per month.
On the 1st of April Mr.. BANKS introduced
bill giving SIS per month to such as lost an
arm in or above the shoulder. joint. Both
those'are now pending in the House, where
they were respectively introduced.
On May %, tho House OF Representatives
passed a bill to Increase the pension Of those
who had lost an arm below the elbow or leg
below the knee, but so near to the joint as TO
destroy its use from SIS to s2I.
These are all the bills of which have any
information. am not opposing, and have not
opposed either Of these bills. On the other
hand, the latter was introduced at my sugges-
tion.
You may be curious to know how the story
OF my opposition 10 increasing pensions for
such grave disabilities was put a1oat. With
out having traced IL to its origin, OF course
cannot positively say who Is responsible for it.
but the following statement may enable you to
judge pretty correctly for yourself Peusion
claims arc adjusted In this bureau solely upon
er-pdne testimony presented by the claimant,
unless his right Is established by tho records in
the War Department, which is not often the
case. The rate Of invalid pension is fixed az.
ter a medical examination by the examining
surgeon-usually y his ncighbOrhood doctor. The
claim agent (if he employees 0nc) is secured for
his fees by law Of Congress, which provides
that the agent for paying pensions shalt de-
duct them from the pension and remit directly
to him.
Under this system more than twO.thirds of
the pension claims have fallen into tho hands
Of less than dozen Claim.agents and firms,
most Of them located at Washington some of
them own and publish periodicals in the inter
est Of their occupations, with titles such as the
following: The National Tribune, Boys in Blue,
The National Cai-ea Soldier. Through these
and other advertising mediums they have
cheated the "citizen soldier" and his friends
with the idea that they have peculiar facii-
ties for successfully prosecuting slams, aud
connect with this the very tempting bait mo
cure no pay" !. g, they charge nothing for
services unless successful, aud by this course
within few years past these large dealers in
claims have caused TO he presented vast
number OF uumeritorious claims which the
at very great cost TO the Government aud at
the same time very greatly delayed the settle.
ment of the neritoripus claims.
In both my annual reports | have recon-
mendcd change in oil this, SO us to improve
the credibility Of the testimony by providing
for its being given in the presence of an officer OF
the Government, thus stripping it Of its er-parte
character, aud supplanting the neighborhood
doctor by a surgeon appointed and properly
tn ulrIaf fhA ti,aI
examinations, and have added to this u later
special recommendation TO Congress as to all
new claims, to repeal the law which provides
that the pension agent shall pay the claim
agents fees. and leave them 10 collect their
fees rs other business men, including lawyers,
collect their earnings directly of their clients
by tue way the House has passed this last
measure, and It is now waiting for the approval
OF the senate.
These recommendations have both met with
the most strenuous opposition of the large
claim business men, before referred to, and
the reason is obvious Ii they or either of
them should be adopted. OTHELLo's occupa-
ti0n will be gone, pension claimants will again
employ their home lawyer or some neighbor-
ing magistrate, instead of the wholesale dealer.
This opposition has declared that If it would
save itself there must be new Commissioner
Of Pensions, and has made not a little effort to
bring about change in that office.
The villainous lie about my opposing meas
ure intended for the relief of men who have
lost their limbs in battle in defense of their
country very much resembles efforts for u
change in the Office Of Commissioner Of Pen.
siOns which l know have been made in the
interest Of thu aggrieved claim agents.
You eau judge for yourself whether it springs
from another source. Very respectfully,
J. A. BENTLEY
Commissioner Of Pensions.