The National tribune., 1881-09-10
Concerning the Pension Office.


stood the soldiers friend. We propose to con-
tinue in the course then mapped out, and in the
! future, as in the past, to defend and maintain
what we consider to be the best interests and
assist in promoting the welfare of those for whom
we believe we have earned the right to speak
Such being our purpose we feel it our duty to
briefly notice some items we have found floating
! through the public press, and which, if allowed
! to 90 uncontradcted, are calculated to mislead
both pensioners and claimants.
/ 1t has been alleged by more than one paper
and correspondent that the present Commissioner
has reorganized his Department, at least in part,
in the interests of the claim agents. We pro-
nounce this allegation by whomsoever made to
be false, and, further, defy any to show
a single instance where the agent has been given
undue influence or accorded any privileges not
warranted by law The agents have only those
rights which, as representatives of their clients,
they are entitled to- and which were in many
cases denied them by Mr.. Bentley to crafty per-
sonal spite or secure some selfish end; and de-
MED, too without reason and without law.
Again, it has been said that the Department is
being manipulated to some extent at least, in
I the personal interests of the Commissioner, and
that appointments have been made under him at
the instance of claim agents, who are thus
enabled to maintain representatives in his office
at the public expense.
We have taken occasion to examine into this
charge as we'll as others herein mentioned, and
pronounce it to be, like the one above referred
to, without foundation; and we further say that
it stamps the individual who made it as a par
tisan of Mr.. Bentley or of his cause. Those
who learned to know the latter during his four
years of office require nothing further upon this
point.
1t has also been stated that the present Com
missioner Advances" the examination of pen
sion claims at the instance of Senators and mem
bers of Congress with a view to winning their
good opinion and that this practice is simply
looking out for Number One on the part of Colonel
Dudley. and ought not to be indulged in. Now
those who know anything of the manner Of con-
aware that for years, in fact so far back as can
be remembered, it has been the custom of that
as we'll as other Departments of the Government
to extend every possible courtesy to the mem
bers of both Houses of Congress. No person was
more prone to this than the late" Mr.. Bentley;
at least he proved equal to forwarding or adj
vancing" of almost any number of claims when
ever he thought that by SO doing he could win
support to his infamous 'Sixty-Surgeons Bill"
and 50 thoroughly did he carry out his peculiar
ideas that he frequently advanced such
cases to Il rejection than to an allowance, even
when upon the merits the latter the only
proper result
The fact is that, with the accumulation of cases
left over by his predecessor, Colonel Dudley finds
it practically impossible to enter upon any gen
eral system of advancing cases-that is, taking
them up out Of their proper order for action.
Were he to endeavor to do so the requests
so numerous that the entire force of his office
would be required to dispose of those thus given
precedence His rules are: /. TO take up cases
in their regular order according to date of filing
2 To examine and dispose of claims without
regard to date of filing, whenever it is made to
appear that the evidence has been furnished
ready for official action.
,. To extend to Senators and members of Con-
gress who inquire after claims of constituents,
every courtesy consistent with his duties as Com
missioner, and if such be properly done,
without injustice TO others. to expedite such
cases.
To take up such case is within the discretion
of the Commissioner and to do so at the request
Of Senator member having no pecuniary in
terest in the matter, is more than courtesy
which every Congressman has a right to expect.
But even in such instances, far have
knowledge, certain requirements must be COM
piled with, in order to insure immediate action.
and chief among them this:
When application is made to have Il case ad-
vanced, it must ordinarily be shown that some
extraordinary reason exists wEy such action
ought to be taken: for instance The Commits
soner inquiries into the physical and financial
conditions Of the claimant; and if it is satsfac-
tOrily shown that such claimant is in absolute
want, unable to earn subsistence by reason of his .
disabilities and without means tO nrOcura tbe