The times., 1897-05-28
APPEAL FROM VETERANS
Discharged Employees ofthe Phil
adelphia Mint.
ASK FOR REINSTATEMENT
Congressman Young and Other Penn
syIvanians Will Represent Their
Case TO Secretary Gage-The Dis
missed Men Say Their Only Oi-
Tense Was Their Republicanism

Congressman James Rankin Young, of
Philadelphia, Robert Wenn, and another
Pennsylvania called as committee al
the office of Secretary Gage yesterday.
The Secretary is absent in Cincinnati, and
the committee failed to see nim- They
did meet Assistant Treasurer Vanderlip,
however, and Informed him that they had
called to ask the Secretary to give them
q hearing in the interest of the men,
who, 1t is alleged, were discharged from
the Philadelphia mint for political reasons.
Mr.. Vanderlip made an appointment with
thecommittee, on behalf of Secretary Gage,
for next Tuesday.
Before taking their departure the com
mittee placed in the hands of Mr.. Vanderlip
q protest and appeal to President Nc
Kinley, which read as follows:
Hon. william Mckinley, President.
Dear Sir: We, the undersigned, your
comrades and fellow-citiZens, veterans OF
the war, dismissed from our positions in
the United States Mint at Philadelphia
for political reasons, respectfully ask
your careful consideration to the following
statement OF 1aCUS-
First We claim that we are entitled
to the protection of the United States
regarding the veteran, which have here
tofore been interpreted as assuring TO US
our places under the Government, where
we have rendered faithful and efficient
service and from which we were unjustly
anc unlawfully removed.
Second. Our removal, in each and every
case, was without cause: except that we
were loyal Republicans, and our places
were required for the Democratic partisan.
Third. The superintendent, whose man
date removed US was himself dismissed.
This viii certainly be accepted as proof
of his unfitness TO pass Judgment on men
who bore unc hallenged regulations, as
citizens, as well as honorable records as
soldiers.
Fourth. Tie cruel dismissal, upon Dec
Grafton Day, May 80, 1894, Of five of ouI
number, who were MANNED 10y the loss OF
an arm or leg, gave a special emphasis
70 the bitterness of purpose in the superin-
tendeut giving such an order, ndis without
q parallel, in our loyal city. of hatred to
the soldier.
Fifth. T he PRONUNCIATION OF the civil SER
vice law was not made until November
"a, 1896, after your election. II is, there
fore, verwevideltthatifM Mr.. BRYAN had been
elected il would not have been needed; but
as he was defeated, the law was wanted To
prevent onr reins: atement TO places which
had been filled by the Democratic poll
ticians some of whom were not born W hen
the war was on.
Against all of this we protest and
from all and each we appeal.
This summary statement of our case
we place before you, hoping and believ-
ing that it will receive the consideration
which il deserves We have the courage
OF our convictions in making this protest
and appeal, and having patiently awaited
the turn of the tide, have no hesitation
In asking now from you such friendly
support and action as shall result in cur
reinstatement.
The action of the Democratic admin
istration in placing the mint under civil
service after the defeat OF their party, nd
before your inauguration, is procedure
dishonest in purpose and partisan. in mo-
tive The conditions existing Were per-
fectiy understood by all who were inter
ested, as well as by those in authority,
through months of correspondence with
the civil service commission. Also, a
resolution of inquiry had passed Congress
asking the Secretary of the Treasury
why the veterans had been dismissed, to
which he made answer in a curt sentence:
For the good of the service. Against
the Secretary's remark we place this state
ment of facts They will not he disputed.
as they are uncon trovertible. If this
treatment had been measured to us be-
cause of inefficient service. or the dere-
iction of duty, the answer to our appeal
would be the record; by which we are
willing to bc judged
We have associated as friends and COM
Rades, making common causein our appeal,