The National tribune., 1880-10-01
INTERESTING TO SOLDIERS AND SAILORS
How Bentley Runs the Pension Office.


humanity as to act the part he did with regard to
soldiers and sailors arrears, is past comprehen
sion Present the question to one hundred intelli-
gent men, and we believe that nnety-nine of them
would say that such conduct on his part was op
posed to every principle of reason and common
sense.
Let us probe into the very marrow of this subject
and examine Mr. Bentleys actions in the light of
facts which cannot be denied We have before US
table of evidence taken from the official records of
the Pension Office, showing the ratings of soldiers
for five hundred successiue cases-mind not selected
cases-in regular order, exhibiting the amounts al
lowed by examining surgeons and the Commits
soner. Now what do these ratings show? Sup
pose we first look at the disability growing out of
affections of the chest and throat Diseases of this
character we know are of progressive" nature,
and Mr. Bentley VeU understands and admits h5s
to be true. Well take the of Maurice Wolf,
Company A, Third Pennsylvania Cavalry. The
Philadelphia examining board allows him So per
month while the Commissioner gives him arrear-
age S4 from 1864 to 1878, and SO from 1878 to the
time of the passage of the bill In the of r. r.
Schimmins, Company d, Twenty second Wisconsin
Infantry, the surgeon allows S. while Bentley gives
$4 from 1868 1871 and Sc afterward In the of
Henry d Wyatt Company K, Twelfth Indiana Cav
airy, the surgeon allows S4 per month while Bent
ley gives 50 from 1865 to 1878 and $4 afterward.
In the case of Abram S. Shafer of Company III
Eighty-frst New York Infantry, the Auburn board
of surgeons allows So per month, while the Com
missioner gives $4 from 1864 In the case of
Charles Carrington Company G, Seventy-fourth
Illinois Infantry, the surgeon allows So, while Bent
ley gives $4 from 1868 to 1868 and So since In
the case of John Burton, Company l. Sixth Indi-
ana Cavalry the first examining surgeon allowed
$4 per month and the second $l2 per month while
Bentley gives $4 from 1865 to 1879 and So since.
Thus ratings run in this book of evidence. We
need not cite cases each page teens with
them.
And mark the fact, explain it We who can that IN
no case exhibited on the pages Of his evidence IN
regard to consumptioe cases do you ind single
one achere Bentley raised the amounts allooed By
the examining surgeon Al ,oere lo,cered Now,
there not intelligent school boy of twelve years
of age in the country who does not know, as does
the Commissioner that lung diseases are of "pro-
gressive" nature. We admit there have been aston
shing instances of cures effected by popular medi.
cines, changes Of climate &c. but the rule prevails
that lung affections become deeper seated with in
creaSlng tlfe ana lHougn the patleht may nSeT ior
years he daily becomes weaker and more emacated
till death ends his suferings.
Now, how can Mr. Bentley explain his cutting
down the ratings in these consumptve pro
gressve cases? Is there not something passing
strange in such decisions? Other progressive
diseases might be cited in which the injustice o
the Commissioners ratings could be palpably pre-
sented but the exhibit would be akin to that already
shown and would burden our paper to the exclusion
of other matter
And now would ask why, during the thirteen
years from 1865 to 1878 while these diseases
were progressing upon the life of the soldier
were not his ratings increased "Why were not