Sunday Washington globe., 1902-03-23
The President of the United
States Playing DemagOgue.
BIG DISPLAY OF VETO
In the Case OF Bounty Jumpers and
DishOnOrably Discharged soldier
While Fix -Comimssary Clerks and
DishOnOraDIy Discharged Onicers
Serve Under Him in Important
Ofhcial Positions

President in vetoing private bills amending
the record of deserters, bounty jumpers aud
other dishouorably discharged soldiers Of
the Civil War meets the appr oval Of every
honorahly discharged Union soldier who
did his duty in that trying period. The
pity is that any of these fellows escaped
Grants Friday afternoon matinees in front
Of Petersburg. That renowned soldier had
an effective method Of amending their
records in front of a firing platoon.
Every old soldier knows of uumberless
cases of men who served three years and
over in the field who are to-day denied the
pittauce Of pension allowed them by Con
gress through the hostility Of an ex-Com-
mssarY Clerk named Evans, WHO never
saw a live 'rebep with arms in his hands
II is this class Of soldiers who have been pre-
ferred in almost every instance in the pub
lie service. Their constitutions are uum-
paired and the same prudence which ad-
mouished them to avoid too close a contact
with Mr. Johnny Reb has been utilized to
advance their fortunes in civil life The
Roosevelt type of soldier who fought in
the Civil War and was houorably discharged
at its triumphant conclusion is now TOO
old according to Henry Castle, Sixth
Auditor, for clerical work aud should be
reduced 70 a salary Of $72o per auuum if
retained in the service of the department
Hence he recently reduced Captain Truman
S. Post, gallant soldier, and promoted Mrs
Leta M Ferguson to 81 400 per annun. This
lady, Mr. President, is the woman whom an
indignant wife attempted to horsewhip In
the Post-ofice Building few days ago and
whom this same Sixth Auditor Castle says
he will protect against investigation or
charges by the said indignant wife
The type Of Roosevelt soldier who fought
three years in the Civil War with the easily
remembered name Of Snodgrass walks the
streets of Washington black listed in every
department of the Government for the
crime of protesting against the promotion
over his head of a favorite female of a de-
partment chief Suodgrass, after years as
a department clerk has no other charge
against him than his protest against
rank injustice which the Civil Service Com.
missioners condones and ignores.
The type of soldier whom President
Roosevelt says, to amend his dishouorable
record 'cheapeus the honorable and heroic
services of men who served their country
in the field, " holds down such positions as
Appointment Clerk of the Treasury De-
partment.
Yes! Mr.. President, one Charles Lyman,
a dismissed and dishonorably discharged
officer of our grand old Union army of the
Civil War is the appointment clerk of the
Treasury Department What do you think
of it, Colonel of the Rough Riders2 The
man tracing these lines would hardly be
permitted to enter the Office where this dis
missed Union officer presides. aud yet
there stands to our name service in the
field two wounds, honorable mention in
orders aud the recorded tribute of our com.
mandiug officer to this effect:
mo fatigue or hardship daunted him
In action knew him to be cool, daring and
of unfinchiug courage. He was always
ready at the call of duty day or night. His
example was at times worth a dozen mus.
kets. can truly say he was the ideal
volunteer soldier who saved the Union from
disruption
Capt. Albert Pinder, Co. 1, s9th Regt
Mass. Vols, is on record with the fore.
going tribute to our person aud services.
And vet Mr.. President being but a mere
boy at the time, our services were no more
in comparison to those rendered by, let us
instance Captain Jones, shot through the
lungs at the Wilderness, and who was di y
missed by Commissioner Evans from a
clerical position in the Pension Office, who
appealed to you for redress. in vain, too,
Mr.. President; we repeat our services in the
field bore no more relation to his gallant
record of over three years in front of the
enemy than your celebrated charge at San
Juan Hill to Shendan's sweeping ride at
Five Forks.
But enough, Mr.. President. Your veto
of bounty jumpers and dishonoraby dis
charged officers aud soldiers are heartily ap-
proved by the old soldiers, and il you will
in addition, substitute for ex-commissary
clerks of the Evans type and dismissed
officers of the Lyman type, gallant soldiers
of the Suodgrass, Jones' ef a. calibre, we in
common with our comrades throughout the
Civil and Spanish wars will believe in your
sincerity and poll one million votes for
your reelection in 1904. NBut, Mr.. Presi
dent, you cannot, you must not, expect US
to believe in the sincerity Of such utterances
of veteran preferences. honorable military
records, etc, when such a soldier as Snod-
grass is blacklisted, a gallant hero like
Jones, forced to seek admission in the
Soldiers Home. while an ex.comtnissary
clerk like Evans and dismissed officer like
Lyman are in exalted places ia the public
service with your knowledge, consent and
approval.