Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-26
T HE CIVIL SERVICE
A Bill in Lieu of the Present Law Relating
to Preferences.
The Report of the Hoase Committee
In Fnvornbls Reporting
+'f -r-s'' -----
the Measure.

The House committee on civil service has
favorably reported the following bill, in
lieu of the present law relating to prefer
ences in the civil service:
preferences In appointments to the civil
service of the United States shall be given
to the persons and in the order herein des-
lsnated, namely: First, to persons honor
ably discharged from the military or naval
service Of the United States by reason Of
disability resulting from wounds or sick
ness incurred In the line of duty; secondly,
to all honorably discharged Union soldiers
and sailors Of the war of the rebellion and
the widows Of such honorably discharged
persons: Provided, That they are found to
possess the business capacity necessary
for the proper discharge Of the duties Of
such Offices" :"
The committee report on the bill as fol-
lows:
"Under existing law the class to which
preference is gwen In appointments Is ex-
tremely limited, so much SO that in the
year 1884 there were but fourteen Of that
class placed upon the eligible list for the
entire. classified service Of the United
States and only ten secured appointments.
In the year 1888 fifteen were placed on the
eligible list and thirteen received appoint
ments. From June 80, 1894. to January I.
1895, only four were appointed In the de-
partmental service. After the lapse of
SAiAA - yCoiS AiOH lIle ClOeS VI tuo ldlc
war, and in view of the widely prevailing
sense of gratitude and generosity toward
the surviving defenders Of the Union, 1t Is
believed that the extension Of the prefer
ence, not to interfere with the surviving
remnant who now enjoy the preference,
but as a second preferred class, to all hon
orably discharged soldiers and sailors of
the late war would be an act of justice
which the people of the United States in
grateful recognition of the services and
sacrifices of those who served in the army
and navy in the war FOR the Union. will
highly commend.
the surviving Union soldiers Is about sixty
years, while the average age Of those pass
.ng examinations is about twenty-seven
years. 1t Is therefore apparent that the
number of this class who will pass the
merit test under our civil service rules will
be very limited. The extension of a pref
erence to the widows OF soldiers and sailors
who were honorably discharged from the
service Of the United States would be a
recognition of a meritorious class to whom
the patriotic women of America are quire
willing to concede the slight advantage
which will inure to them through the pro-
posed preference.
I'm the nature of the case only a com
paratively small number Of this class viii
De able to enter the civil service. From
June 80, 1894, to January l. 1896. but one
woman was appointed fron the clerk and
copyist list in the departmental service, sc
that to give precedence to those who sue
cessfully pass the examinatton Is only put
ting the law in harmony with the generous
sentiment and common feeling of the coun.
try. without the slightest danger Of any
impairment of the public. service"