The National tribune., 1886-01-07
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE:

nearly 40 years, the youngest applicant being "a
and the Oldest 65. But this makes very little differ
ence. In the net result, as it is found i'll Brooklyn
where the requirement of age is waived for the
veterans that practically none apply for admission
TO the Police and Fire Departments. OF 100 appli-
cants for other than these positions in New York it
was found that 103 passed the minimum grade of
40. The average standing of all the veteran appli-
cants 19.S; that of.those who passed the mini
mum Si3, qnite as high that of the civili-
ans; of all the veterans examined e. 80 per cent
were certified for appointment; 35 90 cent of
those certified, were appointed, being q per cent.
of all the veterans who applied. This is not bad
showing The Brooklyn statistics prove, how
ever, that compared with civilians the vet
Grams were clearly ahead. In the first place per
cent. of all applicants veterans while Il per
cent. of those who passed the minimum of 20 were
veterans and about the same proportion passed 70.
But of those applicants who passed above IS and
stood the best chance for appointment little over
90 per cent, were veterans. The proportion of the
veterans getting over TO the number of veterans
applying 40 per cent. Again, the percentage
of civilians applying who got on the eligible list
S915, while that of veterans was 56l2 per
cent, showing that the average capacity of the
veterans to stand examination very nearly
half as great again rs that of the civilians.
These figures show concusively that whatever
may be done with reference to the Union soldiers,
it gratuons insult to them to say that they need
to be exempted from examination in order to obtain
fair share of ofappointments to public office
This all very nice and sweet, but it does
not alter the principle, and soldiers will
make a great mistake if they allow the
Times soft sawder to obscure for a moment
the real issues upon which the comrades of
New York made such splendid campaign
last Fall.
That the majority of the soldier applicants
have been able to pass more satisfactory
examination than their civilian competitors
is very complimentary to the scholarship and
intellectual caliber of the men who fought
the battles of the Union, but the legal pref
erence should be insisted on all the same.
That they overcome the great disadvantage
against them OF valuable years given to the
service of the country which their competitors
employed-Or should have emplOyed-in
advancing their own education, shows con-
clusively what a superior class of men they
iAIe' Dut There are OtHeJS WHO nlNe lOu Deeu
able to make good the years of schooling
which they lost by going into the army, so
that the purely scholastic examination may
be too severe for them, and they are only
able to pass such one as will show that
they can satisfactorily discharge the duties
of the places to which they aspire. For
these-for all soldiers-the legal preference
must be strenuously insisted upon and if
any additional legislation is required to per-
feet that preference and insure to every one
who wore the blue better chance for Office
and public employment than the man who
legislation must be secured.