, 1881-12-19

----
Interview with aIsx-ron,snts.louer ncnt.
ley-8fosv the "ArroArs Of i'ntihG"llm''
Act Became Lnsv-Hho II lRcspUttsf-
BILE for III
Correspondence Nffu lask Htrs'd.
UgNvE1l, colo., ucc. 7.--John A. l}cnticy, OK
Commissioner Ut Pensions nftcr leaving tla
pension Otlco ut Washington, Gn.nc 10 this city
Rnd locMted In the ryActsce ct his prpEesstou-
the Inv. Armed With copy Ut tho Heraid Ut
The 10th u't.. your correspondent calieu up"n
him Ut bis oftcc today: and invited ha attention
10 tho editorial thereib cnhtainttl entitled Who
Ia tlcspons!bIo Tor tho petaloI,.S wulcT' itav.
lug gIven hlnl tl,no to roud and thoroughly
digest It, the following Interview touk place:
Have y1tl nnything to suy oil this subject to
tho Hera'd9 r. asked the correspondents.
:, ayes" replied Mr.. Bentley, '' ''Whllo I was
Commissioner uf Pensions, the T{c,uid. With the
rest Ut the respectable presn OF the country, was
friendly to INC and Sustained my efforts In al-
minister tho Ullice properly, aud l regret now
the Herald should nnvc falsen Into sotno Of tho
errors which notice IN this cdttorfAt article, II
over Intelligence and scnsu werc needed In pen.
sion n1Afrs, It is nuw." .<...
"Wbat arotho errors TO which you alude7"
"Bhull I tmko thrm Ia oeuer2''
"lf ynu pleaae."
"Well, then, tho article conveys a wrong I'M
press,on MS to The nu1lbcr Of soldiers Of tho 1sc
l,eIllou yet surviving. The number is much
grcatce thnn ono would lnfpr frun tho ,Irtlclo.
About ,U00 man were, ut Zone time and nn-
other, IN the army OF the licbeiIlon. Upon tho
best data ubtalnnh1e thcro gtll alive ut loast
1,lo000Q which faot adds omptns!s to some por-
tions Ut tho Herald urtlclc. In the second pIacc,
tim Herald Gays, file Pehalon Bureau In 1870
aet] weaIa nSt taxo more tbsA s7.0o09 OUT
ersate khe In,press,un that lilo Becsetary Vi thu
Interior. and the Cususlllssioucr Of pensinns.
When called upon for'au opinion of ttlo cost OF
fhe Hrrears eglslat1on, hnd betttetl tne 1Mu'iut,
and III that way bud contributed to its paBssKa
by Couxsesa ant arpsoyai by tho President.
esiimate Of the cost Of tho Arrcnra Bill until
beun presented TO tic President ror bis npproy-
what would De required undor tho bin to pny
SsoToiary of tho inicr1or. The Hlnourt FOR this
item aHne way then state1 at ss5sG "A IA aud did
the tlcs aud unsettled. large partion-at ienst
three -hlths.or whien were Within tho prnsls-
tu ba thereaftcr tiIcd. .of which, rs aftorwNrd
appeared. thaso wore fully ls1,Qov. which wero
aiso within its prlvlBlot,s.
1t Feb. I, lei1-ten days af,er ths approval Of
s paymsit of tt1o arrears nc rs aae IN tho tscs which
hal nuon settled before thr pussn9e Of tho act.
M aad recommending nn amendment o.; tho law VIZ to
pansions Tho revised eelilnato iixed the amount
so,S be sskea iss appops ps
uuon ut hut ssd O,0tN In cako tho amendment
susxcstetl should be ndontad. Thts letter WA @
PRESENTED s to Gansres. b. either the Gomnis-
@ :? e nc ss T. s s es
IA 300 was appropriated, md tue lan9uaRe Of
tho Appropriation met shows ts.t C"l,. l
Il wae dalpa.~ as, the. appropriation was
~ ins;1 sai IN an ae tx
we're allowed prior b Jan: .5, ls1e. ss5a.0HN0t'
Bee act Muroh D. 1s19.lt Tho snot il. that this
ailguaxu;was employed hy Congress when lcgls-
of t ths ut; and that, whon coasIderln2 thc ap-
proprlation, 10, worl WIS utterrA by my Inctl,-
3 Aoas iii MI
tnissonor Ut p6psions rs to tue amount which
| only other estimate ta solntton to tlo au,uunt
which the Arroars act would require which has
nsade By n,e for Beiintor Davis, then Chairti,un
nf the Senate Committee on Appropriations.
Jan. 70, 1ssl. !n which xaye It " ny opiuion
5tu n,!1ns. With the qn9loation that taesn
surcs s1S seTy !nw; Both TIE lcttegs refcrfsd RI,
is Executive Daamsat No: 10, Hanse, oi
| Eress; And the other N NisCcI]auG0uB UnctltnGnS
NJ. Vi. senate, ThtrN saeasiui. .Rurty.Btxth Corr
RreBs LBt tnu ad Right hsrQ that In February,
1S1V Aegrotary Huhulz Mddrcasnd letspr to Gun.
areta calling attention to tag vast sum probably
involved by tho Arrears act, and urging u.Wil
that body In the tspst Gnp!at1 tic terms The ncccs
| silly Of Adnptin4 legialatlup to prutect ttH Uov-
eriip,cnt aKalnyt the Srnuds which tho nrreara
| leKlslutlou would t,B sure 10 cl,cnIlragc. rhia
! was also urged In my letter OF Fob. /, -
"Tho responsibility for tho arrears legislation
rlRhtltliy ,lttnoiles ID tho Forty ttfth and Fnry
| sixth CQ,gressys, and not In tho Secretary OF tie
Interior inr to thu Commissioner at Pctsions.'
| nTbcrO must be s0lne expaUut!pu Of the ttlen
thnl gtther you Or tho sacro,Nry eatl,nated tho
what IL the pxplaunt1onff - 80 -;
!" Nd, but onn gucss at 1t for yau. and pretty
| cfogalr. Tho slb1cEt VI 4MrroAf3' III nei1t(ulla
grcss Dy thu Wushlnuton claltr,~uRet,ls for suv.
Grill years; ami rutneroug bills, nit differing
frUm ono anothor, bul h9Cn Gtrudurodl, and thu
ConlmlssIonuT Ut pansiuns had l,een clllcd upotl
to estitFatU euInu Of the bills either y CplI9res-
suuaI eOa1tlef,s or Individual lIlstuhefb, whIou
10 bud duuv. lle ~as never oa!!sd upon by
tlmats tho bill WHICH viva spasscti intG II Inv tt,s
t,no like It: and guess pefxUns moi Acu,lujnI ed
viii, intso uirour1iatauccs hnvo moi diaoritli-
nnted botwoon the' different bills granting ar-
roars which havo boon at pns tip,o sud unothor