The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-08-28
CONGRESSMAN HUMPHREY MAY
FRAME NEW LAW TO HELP
THE x-soLDlERs.
Holds Discrimination Is Being Made
Against the Civil and Spanish
American War Veterans.

Congressman w. E. Humphrey con-
templates the Introduction in con-
gress of a bill which will right what
he holds to be an unjust discrimina-
ton against civil and Spanish Ameri-
can war veterans, in securing civil
service appointments. He has ad-
dressed a letter on the subject to F.
P. Sargent, commissioner general of
immigration, Washington, D. c., call
ing his attention to what he con-
siders typical case.
Il have been watching this matter
for some time" Mr. Humphrey is
quoted as saying, but have waited
until I got a specific case before took
it up with the proper authorities. My
action relative to the introduction of
a bill seeking to remedy the apparent
existing wrong depends upon the
answer which I receive from Mr.. Sar-
get.
1.-THE facts in the case are these:
Under the revised statutes war vet
eran shall receive the preference when
it comes to making a civil service ap-
pointment. An appointment is made
from a list of three men who have
taken the examination. The suppose
ton is, under the law, that the veteran
should get the place. I nave found
however, that it has been the custom
to appoint the man who had the high
est average In many cases the
veteran has been excluded. That is
what I complain of, and I cite an in
stance of a man who went through
the Spanish American war who has
failed three times to secure an ap-
pointment, although he was one OF
three men in each instance whose
name was considered by the proper
authorities.
May Introduce Bill.
"The apparent discrimination is not
right. 1t nullifies the revised stat
utes. If it is necessary to right the
wrong, I shall introduce a bill in con-
gress covering the point in question
Congressman Humphrey has writ
ten to Commissioner Sargent as fol-
lows:
81 inclose you herewith letter from
Charles Boardman of Bellingham
WASH, which in part explains itself
But it seems to me that Mr.. Board
man has made a mistake as to the
parties who are wrong in this mat
ter. 1 believe that the mistake lies
with your department and not with
the civil service commission. When
the civil service commission certifies
three men to your department, and
one of the three is on the preferred
list then 1 believe that it is the duty
of your department to appoint suc-1
preferred man. l do not believe that
your department is at liberty under
sucn circumstances to appoint the
man who has the highest grade ir
preference to the one who is on the
preferred list, provided his standing
is lower. To do this is to entirely
nullify the statute passed by congress
1 do not believe that it was ever the
intention of congress to permit your
department and the civil service com
mission together to evade this law
and this is what it amounts to. I'm
derstand that I am not writing this
letter in any spirit of criticism.
am simply calling your attention to
fact that perhaps has escaped your
notice. For the law as now admin
istered gives those who are placed
on the preferred list by law no chance
whatever, in fact, it rather works to
their disadvantage. Please write me
fully your position upon this ques-
ton, as it is of sufficient importance
to warrant a special act Of congress
if it can not be remedied in any other
manner, and it is certainly my inten-
ton, if necessary, to try to bring
about SUCH legislation