The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-04-07
APPEAL TO THE PRESIDENT
Veterans Ask That Civil Service
Rules Be Amended.
COMMITTEE WAITS ON HIM
1t is Desired That Honorably D.s-
charged Soldiers and Sailors or
Their Widows Be Reinstated, Wit. /.
out Examination, in Positions
They Held When Dismissed.

A petition was presented to President
Mckinley yesterday by committee of vet
Grams, which reads:
TO the President:
In the name OF the Union Veterans
Union OF the United states. numbering some
$4,000 veteran soldiers OF the late war
Of the rebellion, all Of whom saw service
at the front, we present Co yoa our request
that the civil service rules now in force
be amchded as per inclosed rule TX and
the addition of rule XIII.
..Section 1854, Revised Sta tutes OF the
Uniteds States provides that .Perso ns
| honorably discharged from the military Oh
naval service, by reason OF disability re-
sulting from wounds or sickness incurred
in the line OF duty, shall be preferred for
appointments to civil offices, provided
they are found TO possess the business Ca
pacity necessary for the proper discharge
of the duties of such Offices but, I'M
fortunately. this law has not been en-
forced. and there is no penalty attaching
10 its non-enforoement
To-day yud will find here in the various
departments of the Government in Wash
ington, soldiers who are thoroughly COM
petent, occupying the lowest grades in
the classified service, while men " no Fought
against the flag are, with their sons, &C
cupying the higher grades We feel that
this condition OF affairs is not just, ana
therefore make an appeal 10 you, our
comrade and Chief Executive OF this great
nation, for which we gave the best years
of cur lives tosave, 10 correct this abuse.
This matter was ably presented TO you
by Gen. Thomas s. Hopkins, commanding
Department of the Potomac, March "a.
1897.
huie TX as amended-A vacancy oc-
curing in any position which has been,
or may hereafter be, classified under the
civil service act. shall, upon requisition
of the proper officer and the certificate
OF the commission, be filled by the re-
instatement, without examination, OF any
honorably discharged soldier, who served
in the military or naval service OF the
United STATES in the late war OF the re
beIlion. or the widow OF any such honorably
discharged soldier. sailor or marine shall
he reinstated in the position from which
they were so discharged, without regard
TO the length OF tiIrae he or she has been
separated from the service.
Rule XIII-The civil service rules are
hereby suspended in so far as applies 10
the appointment OF honorably discharged
soldiers, sailors or marines in the military
or naval service OF the United States, from
1S6l'65, TO positions in the classif fled serv
ice. Such persons shall be eligible to APP
poiutment without examination, and, after
serving probationary period of six months
satisfactorily, shall be certified to the
commission for appointment
We concur fully IN his presentation OF
the question, and join with him in the re-
Quest that action may be had in the inter
est Of all honorably discharged soldiers,
sailors and marines and their widows"
The petition is signed by Col. II. L.
Street, commanding John A Logan Com
mand, No 2, L. V. L., Department of the
Potomac, late captain Second California
Cavalry and first lieutenant First United
States Cavalry: and S. F. Hamilton, Fifty
third Penns, Ivania Volunteers, adjutant
The committee consisted of 5. W. Baxter.
past colonel. First Maryland Calvary; A. H.
Beck. lieutenant colonel, Company 4, Thir-
tieth Indiana Volunteers; Ferd F. Bogia,
quartermaster Company ID, Second Regi-
ment, p r. v. c.; Charles P. Plat, officer
of day; W. c. Talley, late colonel First
Regiment. ennsylvania Reserves, and
brevet hrigadier; Charles s. Hart, Company
f, Twenty New Jersey Infantry; ].
J. Snodgrass, 134th Pennsylvania yolun-
teers and Fourth Pennsylvania Cavalry; e.
A Fenton, 1924 New York Infantry; w H.
II. Johnston, clerk Pensions Committee,
United States Senate.
The petition was under the seal of John
A. Logan Commandery, No. 2, o. V. U.
The President promised TO give the peti-
ton proper consideration, and this, it is
believed. viii be favorable to the wishes
of the petitioners.