Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-05
Over Failure Of Congress to
Pass Legislation.
GIVING PREFERENCE
IN EMPLOYMENT TO SOLDIERS
AND SAILORS.
Joseph W. Kay Caustically Tells OF
Alleged Dilatoriness of Congress
for Last Twenty Years.

Veterans Of the civil war are in anything
but happy frame of mind over the failure
Of the Congress. just adjourned, to pass
legislation that was pending providing for
preference to veterans of the war i'll
public employment.
Messrs. Joseph W. Kay Of New York,
George II. Patrick of Alabama and Isaac
F. Mack of Ohio, who have been here the
past week urging the bill, departed for
their homes today. They feel that the re-
suit will be a sore disappointment to old
soldiers everywhere in the nation and do
not hesitate to so express themselves.
Shortly after midnight March 3 the
House, under suspension Of the rules, dis
charged the committee on reform in the
civil service from further consideration OF
II. r. 14105, amendatory Of section 1io4
Revised Statutes. providing for a prefer
ence to veterans of the war for the Union
In public employment, which had oean
before the committee during the entire
Fifty-seventh Congress without action, and
passed it by vote of las to 81
Endorsed by Veterans Organizations
Every effort of Grand Army of the Re-
public committees was made to have the
bill become a law, and 1t was Endorsed by
every organization of veterans in the
country.
1.-The bill was sent over to the Senate
then in session." Mr.. Kay said today, but
was antagonized by the conference report
on the naval appropriation bill. and later
by the recess, moved by Senator Hale OF
Maine who refused to yield, that 1t might
be taken up.
-Four attempts were made in the Senate
by Senators Foraker and Clapp to take up
Senate 1910 made identical with H. X.
141O5), but objections by Senators Hale,
Hoar and Lodge prevented.
THE Senate again failed to act upon 1t
yesterday morning, and the bill died with
the Fifty-seventh Congress"
"Battledoor and Shuttlecock."
Continuing Mr.. Kay said:
THE veterans of the civil war have been
used in a battedoor and shuttlecock way
since the war ended. Pensions, no matter
how large or how ungrudg1ngly given. can
not compensate In the breast of the honest
soldier or sailor the desire to earn an
honest living by labor.
The men who saved the Union should
not be tempted by any such effort at brib
cry to still their conseiences as men by
appealing to their avarice Hence 1T Is
that Congress after Congress for twenty
one years, to my own knowledge, has been
asked to do justice to the soldiers and sail
ors of the civil war by giving them, through
legislation, suitable and proper preference
in public employment and especially minor
care for themselves and families.
Only to Garry Out Promises.
ITO aid in this bills have been brought
to the attention Of Congress intended to
give to the survivors Of the war preference
in public employment. carrying out the
promises made in war days, one of which
is made apparent in the recommendatory
statute 1855, which became a law by the
signature of Abraham Lincoln March 0,
1865 ... - -
Since the civil service principle was in
augurated no veteran of the civil war, even
II he served from the beginning to the end
and was wounded twenty times, receives
any consideration now, even to the extent
of one point, in a competitive examina ton
unless he comes strictly within the provi-
sions of section 1854, Revised Statutes, also
signed by Lincoln in March, 1865.
During the last twenty years every eff
fort to change this through Congress met
with failure Sometimes bill would pass
one branch Of Congress to be defeated in
the other, or nothing was done by either
branch.
A Sad Commentary:
"It is, indeed, sad commentary on the
fairness and decency of any political party
in power to permit legislation Of this char
acter to linger until the closing day of the
session, as has been the case in the Fifty
sixth and Fifty-seventh Congresses, espe-
cially the latter, when within thirteen hours
Of adjournment and when the chances were
less than one In a million for a bill to pass
and reach the President, to have either
branch Of Congress pass a bill and the
party in power claim that 1t had been loyal
and true to It's duties in that respect.
"Regrettable 1t is to reach this conclusion,
but il has been forced on me-"