New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-07-22
Protest Against DismlssalS
Under Francis Burton
Harrison.
FILIPINOS REPLACE
DISCHARGED SOLDIERS
Congress Told That Servants OF
Nation Have Been Thrown
Into Scrap Heap.

More than 500 spanish AM. ~, -. -
War veterans employed IN the ihIi;P-
pines have either been ruthlesS!y u.s
missed or have had their salaries re,
duced since Francis Burton mar 50.
became Governor General. according "
a petition which has been sent 20
ident Wilson and to the members ..
the Senate and the House. siee'
number of the men affected, the pe"-
ton AYERS. have families 10 support
Many have built homes win tneli
savings. A majority of those as
missed are 10 longer young ana are
not in condition 10 return nome anu
compete with younger men.
Those affected run from bureau
chiefs 10 teamsters and from aren't
tects to road foremen. Their places
have been filed by Filipnos. The gov
eminent. the petition says, has stultI'
fed the so-calod Philippine civil ser
vice act.
Convention Orders Petition.
The petition was ordered sent to
Washington BY the annual convention
OF the Department Of the Veteran
Army Of the Philippines. United span
ish War Veterans. and n asks that re
lief be afforded al once. Il asserts that
upon tho cessation of hostilities SIX
teen years ago. inducements were oil
fered TO cause the veterans TO con
tinue in their places. and civil service
law was enacted which tended 20 IN
sure permanency of employment.
For sixteen years. the petition con
tinues. the veterans have remained, be
lieving that the government would deaI
Justly with them.
with the coming Of the new ad
ministration." the petition reads
there was inaugurated policy OF re
trcnchment which eliminated last Jan
uary in the adoption Of the approprla-
ton bill for the present calendar year
A. an outcome Of such policy many
tonorably discharged soldiers. sailors
and marines. some Of them past the
prime OF life. were separated from the
service without cause; others were re-
duccd in compensation without notice
Many thus affected were al home on
well earned vacations. and were mott
ned by cablcgram that they need not
return 10 the islands.
Promises Broken.
Prior 10 the passage OF the appro-
priation bill promise and assurances
were freely given tending to assure
the men that their positions were
safe or that there would be no reduc-
tions, but all such promises and as
,uranccs were swept away with the
passage Of the bill. men were reduced
in pensation. while the axe was
welded with such rapidity as TO force
out Of the service almost five hundred
Americans within four months.
"While we naturally applaud the
altruistic policy Of our government
with regard 20 the Filipino people. and
while We think there should be a
gradual Filipinization Of the local ser
vice. we energetically protest that We
should be discarded as worn out tools
and thrown into the scrap heap for
political purposes. We hold that hav-
ing performed our duty 10 the gov
eminent, the United States Of America
il owes us duty not less important
than it owes TO the Filipino people.
We claim that 50 long a. our govern
mcnt is supreme in these islands j.
cannot IN justice advance the intcre g
Of the Filipino people az the cost OF
it's own citizens who were brought 10
these islands for the purpose Of cs-
tablishing civil government
Governor General for relief in the
matter. and it is true that he issued
circular enjoining bureau chiefs TO
respect the rights OF the cN-soldicr
but the only apparent result has been
the remark Of one bureau chief 70
the effect that he was not maintain
ing an old soldiers home
The veterans ask that the matter
OF the separation Of honorably dis
charged soldiers. sailors and marines
from government employ be investi-
gated. and that the wrong done such
persons be rectificd al the earliest
practicable date; and that in the
future. whenever IT is desired 10 I'LL A
position now occupied by discharged
soldier. sailor or marine with a Fill.
pino, or where IL is desired TO abolish
altogether such position for econo.
mic reasons, the occupant Of such
position be transferred 10 similar
position in the service of the United
States. either here or at home. and
that until such transfer be made ne
be not separated from the position
held by him with the local government
except fer cause.
I'VE further request" the petition
adds, that whenever an American i7
separated from the government service
except for cause. no matter whcthoI
he has served long or short period
the government provide him and
his family with suitable transporta
tlon from his place Of employment 10
the place whence he came at the call
of the government"
The wholesale dismissal Of veteran
IN the Philippines has aroused veteran
IN this country. and many protests
have been sent to Senators and mem
bcrs Of Congress