The National tribune., 1896-01-23
PREFERENCE FOR SOLDIERS AND SAIL
OPS


duced the following excellent bill, which
has been read twice and referred to the
Committee on Civil Service and Re,
trenchment:
A BILL to regulate promotions and dismissais
in the Executive Departments at Wash
ington, ID. G..
Be it enacted by the Senate and House Of
| Representatives, Of the United States of Ameri-
ca IN Congress assembled That whenever a
vacancy may occur in any of the Executive
Departments below the grade of s. 900, pro-
motions shall be made TO fill such vacancies
from the official force of such Departments.
First. Preference shall be given to such per-
sons who may have served in the Army or
Navy of the United States, and who received
wounds and were honorably discharged from
the service for the same.
Second. Those who were honorably dis
charged for disability.
Third. All honoiably discharged soldiers
and sailors
Fourth. The widow of any ex-U Union soldier
or sailor
Fifth. All others not enumerated in the
above classes.
Sixth. Any ex-Union soldiers or sailors
who are now or may hereafter be in the CLASH
fed service and are not on the rolls of cOpyIsts
or clerks shall be eligible to promotion i'll any
grade not above the 81, 900 grade without
competitive examination, provided they are
competent.
Seventh Whenever it becomes necessary
for reduction of the force in any of the En-
ecutive Departments, all honorably discharged
soldiers or sailors the widow of any soldier or
sailor, shall he exempt from dismissal, pro-
viding they are competent to perform their
duties two and one-half years of continuous
service shall be evidence of competency.
The provisions for this bill are ex-
cellent, and it should pass without delay.
There has been a cruelty great number of
old soldiers and their widows turned out
of Government employ in Washington,
since the incoming of the present Adj
ministration, and their places given to
political workers and callow graduates
of high schools. Every one CONVEX
SAINT with the working of these changes
knows that the Government service has
suffered greatly by them. The old en-
ploves understood their business and
were faithful and regular in transact
ing it. They had no superior interest
in life to its proper performance. The
newcomers, on the other hand, no
matter how glibly they may answer
questions in geography and history, are
not only ignorant of Government bust
ness but of all Kinds of business, and
the Departments have been made pre-
paratory schools to instruct them in the
most elementary business ideas Besides,
they seem only to care for their salaries,
and to get along with as little service as
possible, and look forward through their
hours of enforced attendance in the De-
partments to the release i'm the afternoon,
and the pleasures and designations await
ing them. Very few of the higher
officials but will say unreservedly that
the Government has lost by the change.
This is without reference to the cruelty
and injustice of turning out trusted en-
ployes who had spent years in acquir-
ing knowledge of value to the
Govern ment, who had been faithful
servants, and whose service in the army
or navy had entitled them to kindlier
consideration at the hands. of the
country.
We have but two criticisms of the
bill. The first is> that its provisions
should be extended beyond the bound
aries of the District of Columbia, and
made to include Government employees
everywhere, and second that it should
have punitory clause attached, so as to
compel officials to obey it. The trouble
with Section 1,754 of the Revised
Statutes, which gives preference to
Union veterans, is that it lacks punitory
clause.