The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-01-24
ANOTHER VETERANS PREFERENCE

/
| Undiscouraged by his defeat, Comrade
Jos. W. Kay, of the G. \. Il. Committee
| on Veteran Legislation, Immediately Sc
cured the introduction of the following
bill, which is the Cromwell Bill, unweight-
ed by the provisions in regard to Spanish
War veterans, which were made the eX-
| cuse of Grosvenor, Hepburn and others
| for voting against the measure. The Span
ish War veterans are entitled TO the prefer
ence, but it is wise to secure one thing
at time, and in the present shape the
bill diSarms some of its opponents. The
bill was introduced by Senator Harris, of
Kansas, Jan. Z, read twice, referred to the
Committee on Civil Service and Retrench-
ments, and reported back Jan. Il, with
out amendment and with favorable rec
ommendation. 1t is numbered 5,417, and
reads as follows:
BE it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States
of America in Congress assembled, That
section seventeen hundred and tifty-four
of the Revised Statutes of the United
States be amended so as to read as fol-
lows:
Sec. 1T54 Officers and enlisted men
y
United States between April twelfth,
eighteen hundred and sixty-one, and Aug
ust twenty-ffth, eighteen hundred and
siXty-five, being honorably discharged
therefrom, shall be preferred for appoint
ment to and retention in civil offices and
cmployments, as also for promotion there
in: Provided, They are found to possess
the business capacity necessary for the
proper discharge of the duties of such Of
fees or employments.'
''Sec. .. That all laws or parts of laws
| inconsistent with the provisions of this
Act are hereby repealed"
The Committee concludes to report as
follows:
I'm the matter of the appointment OF
persons to positions in the Executive De-
partments of the Government under exist
ing law soldiers and sailors who incurred
disabilities in the service and who have
taken ciyi-service examination are to be
preferred Under the provisions of the
bill herewith reported this preference will
extend to and include all honorably dis
charged soldiers, sailors, or marines who
served as such between April /, 1861, and
Aug. 20, 1865, without reference TO the
disabilities they may have incurred in the
service. Under the present law the right
of preference is based upon disabilities.
Under the proposed bill the right of pref
erence is based upon the service of the
soldier who has served during the war and
has an honorable discharge.
The present law has given rise to
great deal of dissatisfaction among ex-
Union soldiers and sailors, for the rca-
son that the man who may have served
only one month or less, if during that ser
vice he incurred any disability, is given
preference in the matter of employment
by the Government over the soldier or
sailor who may have served from the be-
ginning until the close of the war, endur-
ing all the hardships and privatiOns in
cident TO that service but mourning no
permanent disabilities. The passage of
this bill will not in any way affect the
operation of the civil-service law. rules or
regulations with respect TO examinations
for appointment. Soldiers and sailors, I'M
der the provisions of this proposed law,
who apply for positions, will be required
as now to pass the civil-Seryice eXamina-
ton, the preference applying only in the
selection of persons from the eligible list.
"The proposed bill also applies TO pro-
motions as well as to appointments, and
if passed will prevent the removal of any
soldier or sailor except for good cause and
upon charges and after a hearing.
Believing that the discrimination
which the present law makes against the
soldier or sailor who has an honorable rec
ord of service, but who was fortunate
enough not to incur any permanent dis
ability, is neither right nor just, your com
mittee therefore recommend the passage
of this bill.
'Your Committee therefore believe it is
but justice to the few survivors of that
great conflict to give them this privilege,
and therefore recommend the passage of
this bill"
Comrade Kay was in Washington last
week, interviewing Senators and Repre-
sentatives, and urging the passage of the
bill. He felt encouraged by their attitude,
and has hopes of securing the passage of
the bill at this session.