New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-30
THE ADDRESS.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 29-Commissoner Bentley
LETT Washington some time ago to spend few days
Mt his home in Wisconsin. On his way West he re-
mained for q time at PIttsburg, and while IN the
Pension Office there he was introduced to a one
armed ex-soldler--a gentleman OF intelligence ana
local infuence-who questioned him somewhat
closely as the for the great DELAYS expert
enced by all applicants for pensions III getting Their
claims adjusted. Commissioner Bentley's explana-
ton OF the causes of the delay was revelation to
his aucstoner much SO that he went out and
brought in other ex-soldiers in order that they
might learn the same facts. Between twenty and
thirty ex-soldiers in PIttsburg. including some OF
the most influential men in the city. were thus
briefly made acquainted by tine Commissioner with
the state of affairs in the Pension Oice. They ap-
peared to he surprised, and combined i'll note OF
invitation to him, to which were signed twenty-Iine
Names to delay his departure, becoming their guest.
in order that the matter might b. further inquired
about. The Commissioner found 1t impossible to
postpone his departure. whereupon an arrangement
was made to secure another visit upon his return TO
Washington.
upon this second visit Mr. Bentley was prepared
more fully to talk about the affairs Of the Pension
Office. meeting of soldiers had been arranged, 70
which the Commissioner introduced by General
Negey.
Commissioner Bentey's speech contained facts
and figures of "A startling character, which ought to
be placed in the hands of every ex-soldier Ill the
country. that he may know something of the diff
cules i'll the work Of settling pension claims at the
present day, as well the efforts which have been
made TO bring about n reform iii the system OF ad-
mrnstration, by which pensioners may more speed
ily get their dues The following is the substance OF
the Commiss Jnei's speech:
THE SPEECH
He said the subject of pensions, and the problems
which are connected with them, now pressing for
ward for the intelligent investigation and prompt
attention of the people and of the National Legisa
ture were not, in his judgment. surpassed in i'm
portance by any other public questions of any ma
ture.
On the 30th Of June last there were 245,000 PEN
soners Including the first payments to pensioners.
whose cases where settled during the fiscal year
ending on that day. there was pad out Tor pensions
S36, 900 900. exclusive of arrears which amounted
TO 80 [ 600 900 IN addition so there was paid out
for pensions during the fiscal year S57, 100000
Considering the number of claims now awaitlng
settlement he thought 1t certain that the regular
pensions and first payments to the new pensioners
will IN eaggrega'e cont,e M no 10 ihcIeaSe I 'eS
haps a greater sum. Great as the interest OF the
| pensioners whose cases have already been settled
has TO be- the interests OF tlOse persons VINO
have unsettled claims represent still greater sum,
and It IA being daily Increased by the new claims
| Which are continually coming forward.
office awaiting settlement 2S0O00 claims for
| original Army and Navy peDsOuslny0iying an aver
age first payment @ am'nnthg @ 10 @i iUo III ecn Ise
| In addition there were 1000 unsettled claims for
| the War OF 1912 and the Mexican and Indian Wars
The annual average OF the pensions ot III classes Is
! $lO5 to each pension.
MAGNITUDE or THE PENSION INTEREST
| In order to impress more clearly the magnitude Of
this interest he resated the case briefly III another
FORM as follows:
Frst-The whole number of persons directly in
terested III the pensions either as the actual re-
ciplents or claimants, is 532 900. 1t should be
borne in mind he said, that these figures represent
the condition of affairs the 30th OF June last and
| that since then new claims have been filed at an
average rate of 80 per day.
Second-rhe regular annually accruing pensions
| of the whole 532 600 counting the claimants as
| already pensioners. are So6 OOO00O.
These annual pensions are sniiicIent 10 pay the
interest upon fourteen hundred million dollars OF four
| per cent bonds. Add TO this sum the S3OS OoO,OOO
arrears or first payments upon the pending claims,
and we find the enormous amount of seventeen hun
dred and eight million dollars standing as the capt.
tai or representative Of the pension interest as 1t
was the 3Oh of une last a sum nearly equaf 10
the whole public debt of the Nation. d.
| In order not to fall into any misunderstanding. it
must be borne in mind that he was speaking OF the
| individual interests OF pensioners and pension
claimants and OF the amount of these interests IN
the aggregate as they appear to them. Inc point
that these interests which in the aggregate are so
immense, to tine pensioners anu pension claimants
real and as sacred as the real ana expec'ant h-
forests of other classes OF our cltIZenS are To the
whether they consist of property or money IN pos
sessIon debts claims TO be paid In the futufe. or
even the fayorIle Government four per cent bonds
The 81, 900 directly interested persens are DIS
tribulcd throughout the country, as nearly as can
be calculated, aoJut follows In the States mort Ia
| of Maryland aud the Ohio, aud east OF the Mssis-
sippi and Iowa. Minnesota and Kansas on the west
! from =. 900 t. 5000 Ia each Congressional DIS
| ,rict i'm the States OF Maryland, West Virginia,
Tennessee, Kentucky. Missouri aud the States on
fine l. Piciir coast with the Territories In proportion
! Ia population, from 900 to 300; and fro'n 800
To 300 III tie Congressional Districts OF the South
| Exc u, the National debt" Mr.. Bentley con-
tinued there single national interest III tins
country depCudrnrlOr It's existence ana proper care
! upon the wlsc prudent and statesMhhIlke hctloh
o. the Government, equal IN magnitude To The peli-
sion interest," Jud that Is scarcely It's superior III
! t,at respect (: wmle as 10 the number Of persons
affected and To bc benefited by It, the pension III
tersts pass in ilnpor aucs the National dcDt III
the proportion of four to one ltls by the number
of persons inter sed, ana not Dy the amount III
| vowed, tina The magnitude ana Importance 0l tue
! pension question Is properly to he measured
METHODS - PROVING CLAIMS.
| REGARDING the provisions which had been made
bv Congress and tue methods adopted under them
for the determination of the facts upon which all
these individual rights to be adjusted, lie said
all the facts which must be pioved to establish
pension cl iim are what courts ana lawyers denomi
nate questions OF fact and. III view OF their char
acter and the long period of time which has elapsed
siuce the service death of the soldier, they are
III most cases III the of things quite obscure
which obscunty is greatly increased IN many case
by the death of some of the witnesses and by The
lack OF memory Of others. All would understand
how such questions-precisely the same questions
in many h.stances-aIe determined III the ordinary
affairs OF life VIZ: by calling witnesses before tn
tribunal which rs TO decide. where the partle
interested Oh each s de NAV meet Che witnesse
face Jo face in public proceedings, ana orall'
question them. he would assume tha
all woud agree that the testimony
upon winch tho pension claims ar