The National tribune., 1902-04-03
VETERANS IN PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT.
Action of the GAR. Committee on Legisla


ton.
The G. A. r. Committee on Legislation
for Veterans in the Public Service gives
out the following report:
The Committee on Legislation for Vet
Grams in the Public Service of the Ma
tional Encampment, Grand Army of the
Republic, met, pursuant to call of its
Chairman, at the Ebbit House, Washing
ton, ID. c., on February Is. Having CON
S-dered the many bills on the subject-mat-
| ter pending in the 5Ith Congress, it was
determined to recommend and urge III. X.
24S, introduced by Mr.. GrOsyenOr, in the
House, and S. 1910, introduced in the
Senate by Mr.. Foraker the language of
beth being the same, as carrying out the
expressed wish of the Council of Admins
tration, at Cleveland. acting for the Ma
tiOnal Encampment, these bills embOdying
practically the Harris bill. S. 5417, of the
56th Congress. The text of the measure
is as follows:
A BILL
To amend section 1854 of the Revised
Statutes of the United States, relating
to the preference in civil appointments
of eX-army and navy officers.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States Of
America in Congress assembled, That sec
bIoh Iicf VI llic hlSeu NcLdluLtS VI lllt
United States be amended so as to read
as follows:
'Sec. 1854. Persons honorably dis
charged from the military or naval service
by reason of disability resulting from
wounds or sickness, and officers and en-
listed men who served in the armies or
navy Of the United States between April
II, 1861, and Aug. %, 1865, being honor
ably discharged therefrom, shall be pre-
ferred for appointment TO and retention in
civil offices and employments, as also for
promotion therein: Provided, They are
found to possess the business capacity
necessary for the proper discharge Of the
duties of such offices or emplOyments.
Sec. =. That all laws or parts of laws
inconsistent with the provisions of this
Act are hereby repealed"
The committee on the 10Th waited on
Hon. George G. Perkins, Chairman Com
mittee on Civil Service and Retrenchment
of the Senate, and having had previous
correspondence with Hon. Moses E. Clapp
Chairman Committee to Examine the
Several Branches of the Civil Service of
that body, on the subject-matter, urged ac-
ton upon S. 1910 as the bill approved by
the Grand Army.
1t also, on the same day, in the interest
of II. II. 24S, appeared before the Com
mittee on Reform in the Civil Service of
the House, Mr. Frederick IL. Gillett, NJ.
c., of Massachusetts, Chairman, convened
for the purpose of hearing on these mat
ters. At the latter meeting there were
present and favoring the bill, Comrades
Nay, of New York; Rassieur, of Mis-
siouri, and Patrick, of Alabama, of the
committee; Peck, of Connecticut; James,
of Iowa, and Sample, of Pennsylvania, of
the Executive Council; as also Commander
in-Chief Ell Torrance and Mr.. Charles III.
GrosyenOr, NJ. c., nearly all of whom took
part in the discussion. No conclusion was
reached as to what would be done, but the
House Committee gave respectful attention
TO what was said by the representatives,
of the Grand Army of the Republic, and
have taken the subject under advisement.
For the information Of comrades who may
desire to communicate with members of
the House Committee concerning the pend
ing BILL it is well to state that said com
mittee is composed besides iH Chairman,
already named, of Congressman John +.
Lacey, Iowa; Chas n. Fowler, New Jer-
sey; Justin ID. BOwersOck, Kansas; Jas. X.
Mann, Illinois; Henry BristOw, New York;
Amos l.. Allen, Maine; Jacob a. Beidler,
Ohio; William Elliott, South Carolina; Ed
ward W. Pou, North Carolina; Ashton G..
ShelIenberger, Nebraska; William r.
ZenOr, Indiana, and John S. Robinson,
Nebraska. These are the fateful 13. They
and the Committee on Rules, which CON
sists of Hons. David B. Henderson, Iowa; (;
Speaker of the House; John Dalzell, Penn
syIvania: Charles II. Grosvenor. Ohio,
James ID. Richardson, Tennessee, and
Oscar w. Underwood, Alabama.