Evening star., 1897-01-12
VETERANS OF THE WAR
Bill to Give Them Preference in the Civil
Service Passes the House.
The Report Made by the Committee
on Reform In the Civil
Service.

The House today considered and passed
the bill reported from the committee on re-
form in the civil service to amend the law
relating to preferences in the civil service.
The bill as 1t was amended today provides
that section 1854 of the Revised Statutes of
the United States. which reads as follows
Persons honorably discharged from the
military or naval service by reason of dis
ability resulting from wounds or sickness
incurred in the line of duty shall be pre-
ferred for appointments to civil offices,
provided they are found to possess the
business capacity necessary for the proper
discharge of the duties of such Offices" be
amended so as to read as follows:
Sec. 1851. Preferences in appointments to
the civil service of the United States shall
be given to the persons and in the order
herein designated, namely: First to per-
sons honorably discharged from the mill
tary CT naval service of the United States
by reason of disability resulting from
duty; second, to persons honorably dis
charged from the naval and military ser
vice of the United States in the war of the
rebellion and the widows Of such honora-
bly, discharged persons: Provided, That as
to both classes they are found to possess the
business capacity necessary for the proper
discharge of the duties of such Offices"
The Committees Report.
Mr.. Brosius, in explaining the BILL said
it did rot affect the status of those SOL
diers of the civil war who are already given
preference in employment under the gov
eminent, but that the bill extends that
privilege.
The report on the dill says:
Under existing law the class to which
preference is given in appointments is ex-
tremeiy limited, so much SO that in the
year 1894 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 30. 1894. to January l.,
1896. only four were appointed in the de-
partmental service.
After the lapse of thirty years from the
close of the late war, and in view of the
widely prevailing sense of gratitude and
generosity toward the surviving defenders
of the Union, it is believed that the ex-
tension of the preference, not to interfere
with the surviving remnant who now enjoy
the preference, but as a second preferred
class, to all honorably 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 Number is Limited.
TT is believed that the average age of
the surviving Union soldiers is about sixty
years, while the average age Of those pass
ing examinations is about twenty-seve
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 preference to the
widows of soldiers and sailors who were
honorably discharged frcm the service of
the United States would be recognition of
meritorious class to whom the patriotic
women of America are quite willing to con-
oede the slight advantage which will inure
to them through the proposed preference
In the nature of the case only a COM
paratively small number of this class will
be able to enter the civil service From
June 10, 1894, to January l. 1885, but one
woman was appointed from the clerk and
copyfst list in the departmental service, SO
that to give precedence to those who sue
cessfully pass the examination is oolv mt
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"