The National tribune., 1881-03-01


and his of enforcing his rules regulations and the
law are most thorough and efficient
We specially call the attention of our readers to
the calm, jndicia conclusive statement contained in
the foregoing sentences and the solid truth which
we have frequently urged that the Pension Office
is good or bad according to the man who is at its
head
Mr.. Bentley admits it to be very bad, insists
with violence that it is full to the core with rotten
ness and fraud that it is barred and blocked in all
its channels by his inability to believe, that he can
not discriminate between good and bad claims and
that all alike suffer from his overwhelming suspc-
ions
He charges that vast proportion Of fraudulent
pensioners now upon the roll and that vast
number are crowding his doors knocking for adms-
sion and that he cannot separate the innocent from
the guilty, the wolves from the sheep
How fearfully must these sentences above quoted
ring in his ears.
"The successful management of this bureau de-
pends largely upon the personality of its chiefn by
parity of reasoning the unsuccessful management
is traced to the cause.
4 If the management had been successful--the
credit would be to john A. Bentley-as the man
agement has been the most stupendous failure on
A Bentley.
Again, sit will be vigorous and efficient or un-
satisfactory and weak, according to the energy and
capacity of the Commissioner -
Which has it been during these years Let the
universal chorus of complaint and dissatisfaction
answer this question-and let the responsibility
rest where the committee has truthfully put it.
Again. call the attention to paragraphs which
state the very extended discretionary powers of
this officer, and the conclusion that his means of
enforcing his rules regulations, and the law are
most thorough and efficient"
All this is pruufs OF Holy writ---all this
has again and again been asserted by US and met
with the sneer of Claim Agents.
Yet for years Mr., Bentley has declared that he
has poocer, means, by which he can faithfully
discharge his duty and for that he urged his
well-known scheme.
In this most important particular Mr. Bentley is
convicted either of ignorance or worse
The truth is that the law is generous to lavish
ness in the powers given the Commissioner.
The committee having thus disposed of the two
chief reasons given by Mr.. Bentley for seeking
radical changes in the law, proceed in the
quiet but final way to dispose of the child of his
affections" the Sixty Surgeons Bill in these most
effective words:
The wide discretion and the abundance of power given
to the Commissioner in performance of the duties of his
Office casts upon him the special and serious responsibility
of seeing that these duties we'll and faithfully
formed and that the law regulating the subject of pen
be honestly and fairly administered and think
that changes in the law necessary to full
fair and expeditions settlement of pending claims and the
i rejection of all fraudulent claims.
If no changes in the law are necessary to secure
full, fair and expeditions settlement of pending
claims and the rejection of all fraudulent claims,
) what shall we say of this man who for four years
9 has insisted, without stint STOP that change was
necessary for both purposes.
Luckily this committee not Claim Agents, y
! nor the tools of claim agents. They are calm,
J sensible determined business men, they have, for
months carefully examined all sources of informa,