The Washington times., 1902-02-17
APPEAL TO VETERANS
ON CIVIL SERVICE
Reform League Issues Pro-
test Against Preference Bills.
WOULD OPEN A DOOR TO EVILS
Proposed Legislation Would Have
Serious and Detrimental Effect, 1t
Is Contendcd-A RcdrawinS of Old
TiEic Sectional Lines.

NEW YORK. Feb. ia protest against
the veterans preference bills has been
drawn up by committee Of the National
Civil Service Reform League, consisting
of Gen. William a. Aiken, Col. Silas W.
Burt, and Richard Watson Glider. A num-
Der of these bills have been introduced in
Congress, and it is probable they will
soon be taken up. The protest is as fol-
lows:
1T is believed that an understanding of
the i'll effects upon the public service of
the proposed national veterans prefer
ence bill will not only appeal to the good
sense and right feeling of the country.
but. in an especial manner. to the same
patriotic sentiment on the part of the old
soldiers of the Union that induced them
to take up arms for their country.
Not n Dispnragement.
at should be clearly understood that
opposition to the proposed measure is in
no sense a disparagement of the splendid
services of our soldiers. a class of public
service that this nation has. indeed, ex-
celled all other nations in acknowledging,
not merely by the honors and distinctions
conferred upon the heroes of the great
war. but by pension system unexampled
for liberality in the history of the world.
During the last ten years payments on
that account have averaged over one hun
dred and foTty-One millions of dollars
year, the total disbursements reaching
the unprecedented amount of over two
billions seven hundred and sixty-three
millions of dollars. Even this stupendous
sum is far from expressing the entire
outlay for the care of the Union soldiers
by the American people; for both the Gen
eraI Government and the separate States
have erected and maintained spacious and
attractive homes for the sole benefit of
the veterans. Surely there is one repub-
lie that has not been 'ungrateful.'
Some Considerations.
In addition to all this. since March 3,
1865, a preference to appointment in the
civil service has been granted to soldiers
and sailors discharged for disabilities in
CURED in the war for the Union.
But now further legislation is pro-
posed which would extend this preference
to all discharged soldiers of the war for
the Union. Attention is earnestly asked
to the following considerations:
81. The effect of the new veterans pref
erence act would be a lowering of the ef-
ficiency of the entire civil service. FROM
the fact that something besides fitness
would be considered in the making of ap-
pointments. and, furthermore. that those
who would be benefited by the bill are
now at the age when officers of the army
and navy are retired by law. The average
business man is apt to retire, voluntarily
or involuntarily. as early in life as this.
The civil service is already three tened by
experimentation, and the proposed law
,ould increase the present embarrass-
nlcnt and distinctly injure the public
service.
Service Not n Reward.
-. Service Of the country in civil
capacity should not be considered re
ward for a selected class of citizens,
bui an opportunity of public usefulness
offered fairly and equally to all compe-
tent citizens according to their individual
capacity and fitness under a system
where every applicant has "A fair field
and no favor. each standing on his merits
as he is able to show them by practical
test This is the system of which Presi-
dent Roosevelt has said that 1T is. in its
essence as democratic and American as
the common school system itself
"3. The good feeling across the lines.
loag existing between the actual fight
crs in the civil war, has contributed
to the present dignity and power of our
country in the eyes of the world through
the thorough reuniting of the sections.
as conspicuously shown in the late war
with a foreign Power. As one result of
this good feeling the people of the South
ern States have borne. without protest
;helr share of the tremendous expense of
our pension charges, though, of course,
receiving no benefit from the disburse-
ment of the funds. There being compar-
atively few residents of the Southern
States who could avail themselves of the
the new legislation could not
escape the color, at this late day. OF an
ungraclous act of sectional disqualified
tion.
Other Evils Would Follow.
az. If the proposed bill becomes a law
there would be an immediate demand to
place all veterans of the Spanish war in
the same privileged class, to the addi-
tional crippling OF a service which needs
to be improved in every way, ana not
used as a mere e0urce OF reward for pub
lie services which should be otherwise
AS a matter of fact pres
sure in this direction has already begun.