The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-08-18
COMMISSIONER BENTLEY'S RE
AIOVAL.
THE INTERESTING STORY OF THE WAY IT
CAME ABOUT.

When you have got your civil service
system you will still be at the mercy o1
the appointing power to see that it is car.
ried out. No laws rules and regulations
could have, for instance saved the pen.
sion Office from the experience it is now
going through by reason of a change OF
| pension commissioners, made for politi-
cal reasons by President Garfield. The
late commissioner, Mr.. Bentley, who was
far from being professional Office hold
er, had got his office into very good con-
dition. He had introduced system OF
examination and promotion, so operated
that new clerks were compelled to take
the lowest pay, and work up through
several grades to such compensation as
the actual value of their services might
entitle them to. The rules and regula-
tions were made with the sanction of Mr.
SchurZ, and were most excellent. Mr..
Bentley being an honest man in all re
spects, made himself very obnoxious to
class of shystering pension agents here,
who are reaping large fortunes by collect
ing fees from pensions claimants, to
whom they are generally able to render
no assistance of any value. These gen
tlemen determined to make q united
effort to get Mr.. Bentley out of Office.
They raised a large sum of money, and,
directly after the Maine election, when
republican prospects looked blue, they
offered this money to the republican man
ayers, on condition that Bentley should
be removed if republican president
should be elected. The offer seems to
have been taken. I learn that it was ac-
cepted, and the sum of money paid 1
have heard stated as 5000. AS soon
as Mr.. Garfield became president, it was
freely reported that Bentley had to 60.
This did not happen at once, but it was
quite true that he was marked for the
sacrifice. In June, congress being out
of the way, the president sent for the
commissioner and told him, with great
regret, that the position which he held
had been for some time promised to an
other, and that for that reason he would
be compelled to ask for his resignation.
He desired Mr.. Bentley to understand
that no fault was found with his conduct
of the pension Office, and, to prove to
him that this was so, the president said
he had arranged to give him another Of
fce-that of United States minister to
Uruguay. Furthermore, Mr.. Garfield
begged him distinctly to understand tlIssg
tue cuau3e WAS not made in pursuance OF
any bargain made before the election in
November. 'But l am not an office
seeker" replied Mr.. Bentley. 81 want
no other place when l have got through
with this one, and am not in needy cir
cumstances." Still the president begged
him to accept the appointment that was
open to him, and as Mr.. Bentley was de-
parting from the room he followed him
to the door and again begged him to rest
assured that the change was not made on |
account of any arrangement completed
before the election. Mr.. Bentley was
unable to understand why the president
was so anxious to have him think the
promise to remove him was not made be- |
fore the election. The successor ap-
pointed was Mr.. Dudley of Indiana, who
had distinguished himself as a political
manager while holding the Office of U.
). marshal in that state. Mr.. Dudley
knew absolutely nothing about the du-
lies of his office when he took it, but he
vent in with the idea that whatever Mr..
Bentley had done was wrong and should
De undone. You can readily imagine
what the prospects are for the protection
If the public interests in the pension af-
ice under the present administration.