Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-06-19
The Pension COmmissiOnershi
Washington Special to the Cincinnati GA
Zette.

Washington Special to the Cincinnati GA
zette.
The removal of Hon, John A.
Bentley, commissioner of pensions,
has been effected. The war on him
has been waged relentle ssly for sew
eral years. While number of Sena
tors and members and some ex-
soldier organizations have taken an
honest part in it under the spur of
false charges and information, the
influences which melted and the Gun
ming which kept alive this war has
originated with and been kept
alive by an Infamous gang of
claim agents who have grown rich by
swindling soldiers, and who richly
deserve to spend the rest of their
lives in the penitentiary. By the
nefarious means which they have en-
ployed, they have succeeded in ex-
citing so much dissatisfaction in res
spectacle quarters as to lead the
President to make change. It is
just to say at the outset that Colonel
Dudley has taken no part whatever
in this war on Mr.. Bentley, and has
not sought to secure his place.
Colonel Dudley's name is already
familiar in Washington. His services
in the last Indiana campaign, which
SO Justly entitled him to recognition,
are known here as well as in his
own State, and he comes to the
capital with an enviablereputation as a
brave man of large executive ca
pacity and tried integrity. The
President has repeatedly expressed
himself as DESTROYS of having him in
Washington, and it is probably owing
to this fact, quite as much as to the
war upon Mr.. Bentley, that the
change has been made. No man
ever entered upon more difficult
duties. Less than one-half of the
claims filed have been reached, and
the fight made upon Commissioner
Bentley is almost certain to be made
against Colonel Dudley, unless he is
able to do what in the past it has
seemed almost impossible to do.
But while this is true, it is certain
that no man ever came here with a
better backing, or with more friends
at the outset. President Garfield is
impressed with his ability and in
tegrity to such a degree that
rings and hostile claim agents
cannot hope very soon to shake his
faith in the new commissioner. Be-
sides this he is known to be a warm
personal friend of Senator Harrison
and of every member of the Indiana
delegation, who will support him in
every emergency. Nor is this all
Senators and Representatives gen.
orally who know of his part in the
State political campaign are ready to
back him in any scheme which shall
have for its object the rapid examina,
ton, adjustment and payment Of
soldiers claims. The war was ended
eighteen years ago, but no one can
long be in Washington without real
izing that the soldier is still the pop
lar hero, and that his interests are
among the first to be remembered by
the representatives of a grateful peo>
pie. Congress, therefore, is bound
to back any commissioner of pensions
who shall show himself to be master
of the situation. That Colonel
Dudley will so prove himself his
friends believe, and the country
urgently prays.
It has been1praetically settled fo1
more than six weeks that Col Dud-
ley was to come to Washington. The
President so assured him and Sena-
tor Harrison. But the place to be
finally determined upon has been the
occasion of considerable good
natured discussion and disagreement
At the outset, Col. Dudley was ready
to resign the marshalship of Indiana
provided he could be made commits
sioner of patents. In this Office he
could perfect his knowledge of the
patent law, and at the expiration Of
his term enter the practice of his
profession, making the Ii W of patent,