St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-10-30
VETERANS TN THE VAN.
Gov. Hill of New York Favors Old
Soldiers for Appointments to
Federal Place.
Sherman Makes Speech in Virginia
and Denies Bloody-shirt
Proclivities.
The Center of Political Interest Now
Centering in Virginia and
New York.
Rustling for Votes In Iowa---A Bic
Democratic Joli1fication in
Brooklyn.
Gov. Hill and the Veterans

HoVs AAAah dtAAo SxO a4Ss
Special to the Globe.
NEW YORK, Oct. 29.-Goy. Hill, the
Democratic candidate for governor, sends
the following letter TO the Veterans Rights
union, giving his views upon the civil SER
vice rules:
Albany, N. Y, Oct. 17.--To Ira M.
Hedges, ESQ.,: I have received from your
commiutee communication containing a Sc
r1es OF questions to which an answer is de-
sired. cheerfully comply with your request
and Will endeavor to frankly state my senti-
lnents. Pardon me for stating that some of
the questions would seem to be more prop
erly addressed to candidates for the legisla-
lure than to q gubernaJorial candidate, but
approaching your worthy motives and the
good object sought to be obtained, shall
not hesitate to crafty your wishes
Without answering categorically each sepa-
rate question, l may say that in the main,
answer your questions affirmatively. Posi-
bly, ought to state that l am not very famil-
lar with the details of the system of civil SER
vice examinations, marking and certfica-
tion, referred to in one of your questions, and
hence am unable very accurately to express
an opinion upon those points. Nevertheless
I can state generally that if the present laws
of the state OF the civil service rules are not
sufficiently explicit to give honestly-dis-
charged soldiers sailors preference over
civilians then l think they should be amended
SO io W SlCiiIly ucCldro sum pfGICreIce. LII
plain words, I believe in the
| spirit which dictated the enactment
OF laws giving preference to soldiers and
! sailors over civilians in the civil service of
the states, and / believe that such laws
| should be honestly and in good faith enforced
and that no evasionS of laws on the part of
| public officials should be tolerated. I think
| that when such veterans are shown to possess
the qualifications essential to satisfactory
| discharge of the duties of a position they
should De entitled and receive u substantial
| preference, even though there may be civil
| ians who possess superior qualifications, and
| if the present laws or the laws of any depart
| ment Of the state do not permit such prefer
ences to be clearly given, or are so defective
| that it cannot be enforced, they should be
| amended accordingly. 1 believe may safely
| refer you to my recent official utterances
upon this same subject as fully expressing
my Tiews. Very respectfully,
DAVID B. HILL.
| The following is Mr.. Davenports reply:
New York, Oct. 26.-Thomas Bell: In reply
| to your questions asking my position in re-
gard to the veterans. beg leave to say that
| appreciation of the veterans service to this
| state and the nation has never been absent
from my mind. The men who saved the
Union have in my opinion first claim to po-
sitions Of honor and emolument which they
may be competent to fill. Our platform de-
clareS that in civil service examinations the
veteran who proves his competency should
| have the preference over all comers He
went to the front during the war, and I for
| one am heartily in favor Of giving him the
| position now when he seeks honorable prefer
ment in the civil service. am yours very
| respectfully, IRA DAVENPORT.