Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-06-09
Political and Personnel Fav0ritinm I'm
the War Department.


We are sorry that we have to notice, In the
highest places Of official trust, as we'll az In
subordinate positions, an inordnate amount Of
personal favoritism and political jobbing mixed
In the conduct of affairs. Not only have the
New York been disgraced by the incompetence
of their Executive officers, and all kinds Of
corruption and neglect suffered to infest for q
time the military commissariat of each State,
but there have been similar abuses at Washing
ton, and in the War Department itself. 1t is
familiar to most readers that many appoint
ments have recently been made to high offices
in the army, of men whose claims 70 be thus
considered were of very equivocal character.
We are no sticklers for stiff military grada'
tion and adherence to stereotyped rules OF pro-
motion; nor would we, In organizing our citizen
army Of volunteers, require that their highest
officers should be all selected from the regular
army of the United States. Valuable and Oft
times indispensable as thorough military ed.
ucation is, there are emergencies-an this Ia
one Of ,hem-when the needs of the service are
too great to suffer US to be hampered by rigid
military rules in this respects There are civi.
lians Of eminent fitness whose natural endow-
ments qualify them for leadership. Tothe pro.
motion of such, even over the heads of less able
men who have seen regular army service, we
entertain no objection.
But when we see, as we have lately been
| compelled to do, large number Of civilians ap
pointed TO almost the highest rank-when We
see several gentlemen elevated to be Generals
Of Brigades, who certainly have manifested nc
eminent adaptation for commanding 80 much af
column, and when we find those gentlemen tC
be usually the political ard personal friends Of
those who have the appointing power-we are
moved to regret 1t as an unworthy piece Of fa-
voritism.
The most recent instance Of this kind we have
noticed, Is the appointment of Mr.. Cummings
of the New York World, to be Brigadier Gene
raj, with the comfortable assurance that It Is Il
be followed by his appointment as Quarter
master General OF the United States Army
While we have no objection to the comforting
of SO important and lucrative an Office upon Q
member of the press, we think the circumstsn-
ces of this appointment do little credit to thu
head of the War Department. Mr.. Cumming
was, until recently, resident of Philadelphia
and an active, tcheming and tolerably success
iul local politician. He has been for years tn,
special satellite Of Gen. Cameron, now Secre.
tary OF War and has been devoted to the fortune
Of that not over Immaculate politician, to de
gree which it would be mild term to call In.
| ordinate. tIl.
Removing 10 New York, Mr.. Cummings es
tablished a first class newspaper, chiefly througl
the contributions of the religious community
who were assured that the World would eschev
the profane things Of the vulgar press, and &c
a. lofty example Of christian virtue, dignity an
ldecorum to oil who come within Its influence
After having sunk hundred thousand or go Q
the capital stock in establishing this paper
which was far enough from redeeming any Q
the pledges made to the donors-the conductc
cast about to device some method Of stoppin
the leaks In losing concern. From ancie1
afinities, he found no method so promising O
the political job department. By an inordinat
expenditure Of fattery upon Mr.. Cameron, bot
before and after bis appointment to the Cabine
the World secured his good graces, and th
fruits are now apparent in what Is undoubtedl
the most lucrative Office In the American Army
We mean, of course, II managed according I
the system which prevails among the politics
jobbers of the Cameron Cummings school
This piece of partisan favoritlsm is but one
many such, which, for the credit of our Govern
ment, we could wish were different. - Cineinna
Commercial.