Sunday morning globe., 1901-12-08

The attention of the President is directed
To- Naval Engineer Officer Baird. superin
tcudent of the State, War and Navy Depart
mcut Building, because the GLOBE is only
too well aware its allegations true or cNap-
gerlted will receive no sort of consideration
at the hands of the cabinet officer under
whom Superintendent Baird holds his snap
The President alone. i= now looked to for
the redress OF grievance The punishment
of officials guilty of misloasauce and the
enforcement of the merit system The
heads of departments have been too long
accustomed To- ignore oGen-es of this
character to expect at their hands redress
or relief iu the premises
The case IN point is that of Assistant EN-
gineer Henry NJ Statz, who for the past ten
years has filled the position i'm the building
named II appears that there are eight or
nine assistant engineers employed among
whom is Statz. There is also an electrician.
Statz before working for the government
held a similar position with the Washing
ton Gas Light and Coke Company and If
he had remained with them the past ten
years me would by this time be occupying
responsible position calling for a higher
salary than the government pays him. But
Statz like too many other Washingtouians,
preferred the government service He was
hired by the day at the annual compensation
Of $1,000 per aunum by the chief engineer Of
the State, War and Navy Building and his
employment was, of course, approved by the
superintendent
During Statz's ten years of night service
as assistant engineer he has never been
given single days leave lie has worked
sos nights n each year and IL sick or absent
a single hour he was duly docked
This might have been all right. perhaps,
If his fellow assistant engineers and the
electrician wore similarly treatea RIthey
are given thirty d y- annual leave and l.ri5
days sick leave. The reason Statz is DIS
criminated against by Superintendent Band
is that Staz secured his position ON his
ability alone, and was not appointed or rec
ommcuded by any one. While Mr. Statl
is a constituent of Senator Fairbanks he
shares the same neglect that the Senator's
other constituents iu the departments suffer
from Either the Senator has no pull or he
does not exercise il, tor every day or two
one OF more Hoo-iers complain at this Office
of the discrimination exercised against
them iu the departments
Mr. Slatz Is not therefore, credited 60
Indiana. but 20 his native ability TO fulfill
the duties of the position he holds MT
Stltz iu order To- place himself ON a legal
equality with his fellow engineers took the
civil service examination He passed of
course and has been on the clgibla lis. for
To-. these many years but no promotion
advancement or privilege has come to Mr
S,atz by reason of his name standing high
on the eligible list lie IS still an assistant
engineer by the day without privilege of
sick or annual leave, OF perm3nenCy other
than the clpricious will of Superintendent
Biard
There have been three assistant cu-
giucers appoiutcd-uut hired 10y the day
since Mr. Statl' name was handed iu on the
eligible Ist Too other words three out
siders jumped him and he is still working
sos nights each year as an employe by the
day
Recently Assistant Engineer Walker was
promoted chief engineer of another depart
ment The promotion was meritod and
well deserved. Mr. Statz thought that his
hour had at length arrived after ten years of
faithful service and being jumped so
unuy times and chat at last superintendent
Baird would recognize merit and ability.
Not so. however Superintendent Baird
instead of naming olaZ 90 tuc vacant or
permanent assistant Jngincership gave the
appointment 90 a fireman The other as
,istaul .ugucers muuered shame under
their mustaches. Superintendent Baird did
not hear them. Now the question is, the
GLOBE hopes, pertinent, why this discrim-
inauon against Satz2 His long service Of
ten years merited recognition His quail
ifcatous were certainly equal 20 those of
the fireman who received the appointment.
What small politician is il who induced
superintendent Baird TO again jump the
faithful aud meutorious Statz'
Last month the electrician lost four days,
but he received full months pay just the
same as Stltz who did not lose a min
ute La fact the electrician and other en-
ployes are not docked or charged up with
loss of time Statz rs. Why is This Mr..
Baird And IL you do not read or deign to
answer the SUNDAY MORNING GLOBE. will
you please explain this matter to the high
official who does read it-His ENcellcucy,
Theodore Roosevclt-and who makes
mcmoaudums of such cases of oppression
100 office aud discrimination against dcserv-
ing employees as this case of Statz. Il is
more than probable Superintendent Baird
that You viii be called upon TO explain mat
ters BE prepared