The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-11-26
RIGHTS UNION.
Something About the Organization and Its Objects.

Something About the Organization and Its Objects.
To THE EDITOR: The Veterans Rights Union
| was made national organization by an almost
| unanimous vote at the recent National En-
campment of the GAR at Portland Me. 1t
| had its birth in New York city in 1882, because
of belief that the laws, both Federal and
| State, bearing upon the rights and preferences
given the veteran, were nullfed by nOn-per-
| Torrance. The work started with SO much zeal
| was taken up by comrades in Brooklyn, and
| although its work was at first looked upon in
our annual Encampments with doubt or dis
trust the eloquent appeals of COmrade Joseph
| w. Kay, of Brooklyn, converted the most OBJ
fuse of the doubters, and to-day we find cor
| dial Godspeed offered in each of the $50 GAR
| Posts in this State
1t has not been difficult task to convince
both of the great National parties that the SOL
dier vote was worth deserving. 1t was the
dudes and Pharisees, who of late years COM
prise the body known as the "Snivel" Service
Reform Association of this and adjoining
States, who have maintained that the fabric
which they have reared must be worshiped
as the Buddhist would worship white ele-
phant. These people complain lest loophole
will be found into which an old veteran may
crawl into minor Office without passing a
| competitive examination. Not only all the
cierkships in the State and Municipal Depart
ments, but the Police and Fire Departments,
the Inspectors of Streets of Dumps, and even
the doorkeepers' places are covered by the COM
petitiye examination.
Comrade NJ. C. Earl, Assemblyman from
Brooklyn, introduced a bill in the Legislature
of this State last Winter which, in effect, gave
to heads of Departments in each city the right
to appoint honorably- discharged soldiers and
sailors of the late wax without such COMPETE
tive examination, provided they possessed the
qualifications necessary to perform the duties
OF the positions called for. His bill passed the
Assembly by twothirds vote, but was killed
IN the Senate by reference to the judiciary
Committee at the closing hours of the session.
A list of those who could not bring their
conscences up to the point of giving the old
soldier chance to become an inspector of
sewers, or doorkeeper, without destroying this
beautiful back-actiOn law, was recently pub
lshed, and the $4,000 veterans in this State
were warned to look out for them on election
day.
Comrade EarIs bill was cordially supported,
however, by Democrats and Republicans alike,
as it had no partisanship" in it.
The black list" referred to has elected
bitter circular from these young fellows, so per
cent of whom were either nursing at the time
when these dear old comrades were saving the
Union, or were furnishing substitutes; for no
man in whom the milk of human kindness ex-
lists will deny these men fair chance in the
race for life when it is considered that they
were not asked to pass competitive examine
ton 20 years ago. They gave the best years of
their life for this indestructible Union. 1t was
saved by their valor, and to maintain that during
the few years more allotted to them they must
compete with students and schoolmasters for
subsistence is monstrous.
A committee appointed at the recent Ma
tional Encampment, comprising the present
and Past Commanders in Chief, as well as the
most distinguished comrades in our Order, has
visited President Cleveland, and after briefly
stating their purposes, were kindly Informed
that he rarely made an appointment with
out first ascertaining whether there was
soldier among the applicants. If he found one
who, besides good military record, was found
competent for the place, he uniformly gave the
preference to the old soldier" Can we forbear
touching our hats to the author of this senti-
ment?
viii the goody- goodys stand upon this plat
form?
Well. we will begin anew, and bear in mind
that God helps those who help themselves"
AT this writing committees are in attendance
upon both Conventions at Saratoga, and we
anticipate resolutions in both Conventions
bearing upon the rights of veterans in this
State, to which the attention of your million
readers are referred. We believe that
Freedoms battle once begun,
Bequeathed from aged sire to son,
Tho oft in doubt, is ever won.
THOMAS BELL, Secretary, Y. r. u, State of
New York, Brooklyn, N. Y.