The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-02-22
Pension Vampires Howling at Com
missioner Bentley.
WASHINGTON.

CONSUL NOMINATION..
WASHINGTON, February 21.-The Prcsi-.
dent nominated Jas. Reilly Weaver, of
West Virginia, Consul to Vienna.
$4,000, 600 MORE OF 5-2OBoNDs.
The Secretary of the Treasury will, on
Monday next, issue call for the re-
demption of $40, ,OOO, 900 $40 bonds of 1865,
consols of 1865.
PENSION VAMPIRES.
WASHINGTON, February 2O.-A concert
ed attack upon all sides is being made
upon Mr.. Bentley, the Commissioner of
Pensions, by the army OF claim agents that
infest Washington, with a view to secur-
ing his removal. A very serious charge
has been made against him, and his otfi-
cial conduct is condemned by every claim
agent in the country. Heretofore the PEN
sion Office has sometimes been suspected
of being run to suit the views of the claim
agents, and Commissioner Bentley ischarg-
ed with running itin the interest OF the pen
sioners, and the Government. In the
first place, he has cut down the fees OF at
torneys prosecuting claims for pensions
from S25 to $40, and as the money comes
out of the pensioners and not out of the
Government, the claim agents argue that
Bentley has been meddling with what is
none OF his business. 1t is also charged
that he always gives preference in con-
sideration to applications that are sent
directly to him from the pensioners, to
the neglect and delay of those which
are presented to him by claim agents. But
the last and most serious charge is that
lie has notified all the pensioners in the
United States that it is not necessary for
them to employ the services of an at
torney or agent to collect what will be due
them under the arrears OF pension act;
1ft tor IHN
such cases; that the pensloner must make
his application direct to the Pension Of-
flee, and will have check sent to him
when the application is granted.
AS the claim agents were expecting to
get about two millions OF the forty that
will be required to pay these arrearages;
as they have been lobbying night and day,
every session OF Congress for the last ten
wears, to get this bill passed, and they insist
that it " ould not have become q law but
for their we'll directed efforts, they re-
gard the action of Commissioner Bentley
as grossly reprehensible, and demand his
removal, on the ground that he is interfer-
ing with the legimate business and the
constitutional rights OF citizens OF this Re
public. But it is safe to say that the
President and Secretary Schurz do notre-
gard the conduct of the Commissioner in
the same light that the claim agents re-
gard it; and if they decline to remove
him, that they will be sustained by the
pensioners, and the public generally.
The claim agents also charge that Post
master General Key has entered into this
conspiracy with Bentley. There are pub
lished here several advertising sheets,
which are sent gratuitously to persons
who are on the pension rolls, or who were
formerly in the army, and which for
the last few months have published
very little else than low and sour.
rilous attacks upon the Commissioner OF
Pensions, with a view to prejudicing pub
lie opinion, and especially the feelings Of
pensioners, against him as an official.
Postmaster General Key has decided that
these sheets can only be sent through the
mails rs business circulars at transient
postage rates, and will not be admitted as
cision the claim agents are also very, in
dignant and insist. that the intention OF the
decision is only to shield Bentley.