New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-23
rJNr ~ DDJAJ.

Secretary TracyS assertion, made in his last
report TO the President. that the personnel OF
the Navy is steadily dccriorarng, seems to
have been abundantly verified in the Relter
case. The Secretary who has given to the
subject tho most careful and intelligent CON
sidcration. declared in the report alluded to
that the system o. promotion-or, rather, OF
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS in the Navy tended
70 nroducc a set of commanding officers who
by reason of age. Indifference or loss Of self
respect were uliit,cG lor the responsibilities
Of command. Tie pointed ont the fact that
officers were kept in Subordinate positions ihuI
their youth. their vigor, their enthusiasm ana
their ambition had left them. lie showed mat
they lost heart. hope and interest ana oc9eh-
Grated into mere machines robbed OF the vgor
and the fcryor tina: 90 TO make efficiency 80
that at last. when promotion came. 1t folhd
them regardless Of everything except the rank
and nav involved. and devoid of that indie
Unable quality which makes men useful.
Every aspcc, of the Rcitcr case suggests the
idea that here may be IN illustration OF Sccrc-
tarv Tracy's proposition. Kept IN SuboIdI-
nate po>ition during many weary years pass
inc in dndccy and subsection the time at
which his spirit was strongest and his faculties
most active. Nr. Tcitcr reached the position o1
commander only after he had become as
couraccd Indifferent and conventional. Under
tho first test he faced. Accustomed, through
,hc best years Of his life. to dependence ana
,ubordination. he was unable 20 meet the stress
Of responsibility and the emergencies Of com
plication. Confronted with dilemma he ana
not know how to overcome it. Secretary F'cH
has shown all this beyond the hope OF contra
diction No possible view OF the case leaves
Commander Rcitcr a shred Of dignity. lie did
not even have the courage to err with Ngor.
Thi, brings up the question: what under
thc present system is TO become OF the personnel
Of the Navy? Not only are the lists gor@'1
with men unfit for promotion but we are WIN
ont the means Of purcing them. S'HctHi
Tracy ha, done hi> part. He has Icprimandch
Commander Rcitcr and declared that his case
i dispo>cd Of But how does that alleviate the
situation? Commander Rclcr is still on the
active list. He still stands in the way OF young
cr and undoubtedly more efficient men. lie
continue, To- blocl, the avenues Of promotion
Why is there no provision for such cases? Why
i there no way Of refining officers who are
coufc,scdly unfit for the responsibilities oi
command? Here is the great, oyerShado"InE
trouble. The lists are c1mbcred IN each grade
with men who do not deserve promotion ana
who carnot properly discharge the duties OF
high places. They not only fail when subject
cd ~ emergency. but they remain after trial
and condemnation, useless to the country and
fatal Obstacles in the way Of happier results
The service must be rescued from these SIMS
for conditions. Some plan must be devised for
Kidding the pathway t. promotion OF inert ana
unworthy officers We arc constructing great
and powerful Navy. We must take some steps
70 secure for it pcraonnc! which will fit the
magnificent material on which the country Is
.nondinr millions