New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-03
STRUGGLE OF THE CLAIM AGENTS.
EFFORTS TO INFLUENCE THE SOLDIERS AND SAILORS
OLE TILE LATE WAR AGAINSr COMMISSIONED

EFFORTS TO INFLUENCE TIE SObDlhho AND 0hlbONo
or THE LATE WAR AGAINST COMMISSIONER
BENTLEY-TRUE ANIMUs or THE MOVEMENT
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRTBUNE.l
WASHINGTON, May 2.-Copies of the following
petition are being circulated for signature in all
parts Of the North
To His ErceLeney RUTHERFORD i. HAYES, President OF
The United States,
at the localities succeeding their Names ana VINO were
members Of the companies and regments stared hitep
said locality, respectfully represent that We nave
viewed with deep pain and much astOnlsnment tne con-
tnued retention OF John a. Bentley IN the Ros@tEh @ 01
Commissioner OF Pensions FOR long time. we DclleVe
said Bentley has in all respects opposed the Interests O1
have been most unjust aud mOnsTOu5 that no lmpedes
the collecting Of their honest dues that ne sanders M
them by impuatons upon their honesty: tDat he de-
vlscs bills for CONGRESSIONAL acton which will reduce
many OF them bcGgary; that he has, without law,
eoTraSp6nenee VIII cSnempt mat his satraps visit
them to devise every to iuvaidate their pen
sionsn fact that his whole course and conduct to-
ward them s and has been, marked by SUSPICION pre-
iuGice, delay. SANDER and injustice ,oo,, ,o,,
For lhcse do most earnestly Deseecn yOu
Chief Maglstrate Of the United States, to romoVe
days service In either the Army or Navyaud to appoint
q good, tried, honest soldier In his stead;
You, Mr.. President. have been a sOdler-an hOnOr-
able and faithful one-and we appeal to you, soldiers
TO a soldier, To give Commissl0ner-an bonor-
able and Just sOdor-whO VIII treat us Win uccenI Te-
spect and be disposed to render Us Justice,
Aud your memoralists will ever pray, etc.
This petition was gotten mp and ls being sent out
by Washington pension claim agents, who. i'll addl-
ton to it. arc publishing here what Durp0rt to be
newspapers devoted to the advocacy of tho interests
of ex-sodicrs and sailors, filled with specious argu-
ments and distorted facts. designed to convince
their readers that the Commissioner of Pensions Is
bad man and an enemy to the soldiers and sailors.
One of the latest of these publications contains
viianous wooden portrait of Mr.. Bentley, en-
titled: "The aIcl enemy of the sOldler-J. A..
Bentley. The MIA who cannot bring himself to
bplieye tho testimony of tho soldiers"
The claim agents DO not seem TO be meeting with
much success i'm their efforts Hundreds Of letters
are received from cX-sOdiers to whom these petit
lions and papers have been sent speaking III terms
of the strongest condemnation of the efforts OF the
clam agents and Of hearty approval OF those of the
Commissioner TO be rid of them. Meetings OF OK
soldiers in various parts of the country are made
the occasions Of extraordinary efforts by the claim
agents to create sentiment against the Comlnls-
sioncr. As an illustration of the result it may be
stated that on the 18th Of April mt meeting OF the
Union Army and Navy Veteran Corps IN Boston, res
olutions unfayorable to the efforts of the CommiS-
sioncr were voted down, and others wcro adopted,
setting forth in the preamble that the efforts of tho
Commissioner had in consequence OF misreprescnta-
TONS met with opposition, not only from members
Of the organization. but from members of similar
organizations elsewhere. The principal resolution
was as follows:
EesoYred Tint United States Senate bill No. 4o6 In
our opiuion provides for ana It is our hrm conviction
will securc, more speedy action on pendlnB hppHca
lions lessen the Icnsr and trouble 10 which CLAIM
ants Witnesses aud pensioners are now put by the eX
,sIu svsrcIn ana insure II more just and equitable rat
ing oi the pensions which our wounded and usaDlcu
comrades arc entitled.
The whole controversy, so far as the claim agents
are concerned, arises from tho fact that tho bill
unanimously reported from the Senate Committee
on Pensions Tor tho reorganization Of the pension
svstem will make IL unnecessary us heretofore, Tor
pensioners to emplOy attorneys rs lntcrmedlarIes
between the Government and themselves. lie sub
iert - ono of the most important now before Con
grrss, and Il should be thoroughly understood by
MI who are interested In IT.
Senator Wthers, chairman OF the Pensions Com;
Inittcr. nnd other members of the committee, Will
take tie earliest opportunities to bring the Dll lD
hen all the facts in regard to il will be placed be-
fore the country IN al authoritative tOrln'