The National tribune., 1880-04-01


an invalid pensioner before'a pension surgeon as
often he shall deem it for the interest OF The Gov-
ernment. Under the authority thus conferred the
Commissioner may order an examination every three
months of an invalid pcnsoner receiving Gas many
do 81 or 50 a month, the cost to whom in going to
and returning from the place Of exami nation, would
be greater than the amount of tho pension money
involved, thus forcing such pensoner to allow his
name to be stricken from the pension-roll
Section provides for the appointment Of o sur
geon as medical referee, who q shall perform such
duties in the adjustment of pension claims as shall
be prescribed by the Commissioner of Pensions"
This section is so loosely drawn to excite sur
prise. The duties of this medical referee should
certainly be defined. His duties would doubtless
be those of the present incumbent of that office, to
wit: To cut down ratings made by the pension ex-
amining surgeon, who alone has the knowledge of
the degree of the claimants disability.
Sections and 10 relate to fees in connection
with the duties of surgeons and examiners, and the
repeating of acts conflicting with this bill
some cursory remarks in connection Herewith let
Having thus presented to the view of our readers
all the provisions Of the different sections of the bill
let US now sum up with the leading, and to us the
most convincing, arguments why the bill deserves
to be repudiated by Congress,
First Because it is the offspring of man who
during the entire time he has held the position of
Commissioner of Pensions, has constantly acted in
direct antagonism to the interests of the soldiers Of
this country. Not word has been spoken or
written by him, not a deed has been performed
evincing that generous and patriotic sentiment
which should actuate immediately and init
matey associated with the men to whom we owe all
the blessings of peace and liberty now enjoyed bv
the people of this Republic. Instead of acting as a
fair and just judge between the soldier and the Gov
crnment, as to the claim of the former against the
latter you ever behold him as only n combined
pettfogging judge and cunning lawyer, striving by
every possible qulbble and upon every pretense
to prevent the soldier from obtaining his honest
dues. Where is the American soldier of to-day who
regards John A. Bentley as his friend? And "iudg-
ing from the future by the past" have they not an
overwhelming reason to believe that anv and all
means which he proposes will work to them " only
evil and evil continually" They believe that in
this BILL apart from its manifest intent, lie
concealed couched serpents to sting and wild
beasts to deyour And in this belief they are ampIv
justified
Secondly. Because it vests in John A. Bentley
power greater than that of any man holding office
under the Government ofthe United States not ex-
cepting the President He will be thereal appointing
power, though said authority is vested by law in
the Secretary of the Interior. At his supreme com.
mand six hundred men will bow the knee and at the
bchess of these six hundred, thousands of soldiers
soldiers widows soldiers orphans, soldiers fathers
and mothers, the sick, the old, the wounded the
helpless, the sad, stricken sufferers Of the war and
their loved will be crushed to the dust their
bread taken from their mouths and they driven tc
utter destitution to be fed, if fed at ALL by charity
or they will be permitted to receive the pttance al
lowed by the Government Will the Congress Of
the United States, will the American people grant
to a mere bureau officer of the Interior Department
this monstrous power Will they permit him ac
cording to his supreme pleasure to destroy all the
IL: oe li1,;n