Evening star., 1897-05-12
A Plea for the Old Soldier.
tho Editor of Tho EyenfnO Star.


To the Editor of The Evening Star:
There is a large contingent of patriots
holding government positions in Washing
ton who regard the 'old soldier" with such
loving kindness that they are continually
on the alert to see that he is not overbur-
dened with federal employment, their
chief lamentation appearing to be that some
years must still elapse before these veter-
ans can all be held in loving remembrance.
Although the record shows that these vet
Grams are passing away at the rate of more
than $1,000 annually. yet they are haunted
with a dread that the ''decrepid" survivors
will swoOp down upon the administration
and possess 1t. To read their latest COM
munication in yesterdays Star. an outsider
would infer that all the incompetency and
inefficiency in the public service Is because
of the old soldier. When it comes to the
broken-down men and women of former
generation, who never defended their coun-
try's honor. and who still infest the depart
ments. they are eloQuently silent. Their
say i'll their article of yesterday: 'It is said
that thousands have come here to be re-
instated." but cite only two cases where the
applicants for reinstatement were untitled
by reason OF age.
The G. A. r. has committee which looks
after all old soldiers who arrive in this city,
and none are presented for employment or
reinstatement unless mentally and physical
they seek to fill.
This contingent of patriots is also dis,
tressel because Of the perplexities which
must confront the administration on ac-
count Of this irruption OF decrepid veterans
who are swooping down on Washington.
and they seek to sway public opinion and
to establish "a general principle" when
they say THE government service cannot
be turned into an infrmary' to accommo-
date this horde of useless humanity. So
much for the will and the wish as expressed
IT. the article Of yesterday. which closes with
the assertion that to reinstate these old vet
Grams 1t would become necessary to dis
charge many men who are performing their
performing their work satisfactorily? Let
ne cite one case. The writer of this has
frequent occasion to call for charges
against certain officials, which charges en-
ter into the adjustment Of the accounts OF
the officers in question
The bookkeeper In charge OF the books
from which the records i require are taken,
was promoted to his present position about
four years ago, vice a competent veteran OF
the civil war. who was discharged. have
never In the past four years received q
sheet OF charges from these books that was
correctly drawn, and yesterday, May II
1897. q sheet of charges had to be returned
10 this bo0kkeeper three times for correc-
tion.' Two years ago the inefliciency of thia
bookkeeper was reported. but he 10 stilI
of the books. He was not soldier.
ALI the inef1cient. - q matter OF course
cannot be reached, but to visit the failures
and the faults OF the public service wholly
upon the heads OF the veterans 70 unjust
Could . full and impartial examination be
had II would be found that the old and de-
crepld men and women who were neither
soldiers nor soldier1 widows outnumbes
VETERAN.