Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-26
THE ARMY MEDICAL CORPS.
All Interested I'm Who VIII BE the New
Surgeon General.

Surgeon General.
LIKELIHOOD OF THE PRESIDENTS SELECTION
AsUccEssoR TO GEN. SUTHERLAND EXPECTED
TO BE MADE NEXT MONDAY.
Brig. Gen. Chss. Sutherland. surgeon general
OF the army, will retire by operation Of law on
account Of age next Monday. All officers OF
the army are interested in the selection Of his
successor. Only the officers Of the medical
department, however, have a direct personal
interest in the matter. One Of their number
must Of necessity receive the appointment.
Rank may possibly have considerable weight in
determining the selection. but it may be legally
waived altogether. The President can give the
Office to captain in that department il he sees
fit to do so, but there is no reasonable prospect
Of such an occurrence. The list OF colonies,
lieutenant colonies and majors offers too rich .
field for selection to justify the serious con-
sideration OF the younger officers. Then the
selection Of the senior captain would mean .
jump over the heads OF sixty-six officers SUI
perior in rank and service.
srxTr-sIx CANDIDATES.
1t is conceded on all sides that the Presidents
will not do such unprecedented thing a.
that. No one doubts for a moment that the
appointment will go to one OF the sixty-six
senior officers. OF this number six are colonels
ten lieutenant colonies, and fifty majors. The
senior is Col Charles Page, now on duty in
New York, and the next i've in order of rank
Coils. j. r. Smith, b. ]. ID. Irwin, c. T. Alex
ander, j. c. Baily and c. II. Alden. There are
many inclined to the belief that the appoint
ment will certainly go 10 one OF these six. Col.
Page is thought to have less chance than any Of
the Others named, for the reason that he will
be retired in December next. He will certainly
be barred out il the President follows the pre-
cedent established by him in the case OF the
surgeon general OF the navy. In making that
appointment he eliminated from consideration
all officers who had less than four years TO
serve Ii was said at the time that he would
apply the same principle TO all staff appoint
ments. but the accuracy Of this prediction remains
to be proved. He certainly departed from IL
In the case OF Col. W. P. Carlin OF the line.
who was made q brigsdier general when he had
put nve months more Of active service. There
Is therefore nothing to prevent his making the
surgeon generalship another exception 70 the
rule.
COL SIXTIES cHANcEs
With Col Page out Of the race Col. Smith
has the best chance Of promotion on the score Of
seniority. This officer has nearly two wears more
to serve, while Col. Irwin. the next in liue. has
but little over year. The other colonies re-
tire as follows: Col. Alexander, Nav, 1897; Col.
baiiy, February, 1895. and Col Alden, April,
lS0O. For some reason altogether unexplain-
able Col Smith is the only one Of those named
who Is regarded as possibility. He is now ON
duty in San Francisco. Gen. Moore. the pre-
decessor Of Surgeon General Sutherland was
also stationed at San Francisco when he was
selected for promotion by President Cleveland
during his former administration. At that
time II was said that Gen. Moore was appointed
because he was the only eligible officer who had
not made persistent effort 10 get the Office.
Lieut Col. {. c. Byrne is at the head of the
mex grade OF officers, any one Of whom il
likely TO receive the appointment. There are
ten officers in this grade and all Of them have
more than four years to serve on the active
list. Col Byrne is one OF the physicians who
attended President Garfield The only others
who are said to be under consideration for the
prospective vacancy are Lieut. Col. Dallas
Bache. OF historic lineage; Lieut.. Col c. r.
Sternberg, the eminent bacteriologist, and
Lieut. Coils. W. ID. Wolverton and Albert HART
sun. These are all reputable gentlemen and
stand high in their profession.
THE GRADE OF MAYOR.
Maj. j. Y. ID. Middleton stands first in the
next grade Of fifty majors. This list includes
such wen-known names as Maj J. s. Billings
who stands seventh, and Mai r. NJ o'Reilly.
who stands twenty-seventh While the latter
is pretty low down on the list be cuts no in
considerable figure in this contest He Is the
chosen physician OF the President and secre-
tafy Lamont, ana was detailed to duty in
Washington in order that he might be available
in case those officials desired his professional ,
services Maj. Billings chances rest entirely,
on his merits He 10 q man Of exceptional
scientific sttainments and is one Of the leaders
Of his profession in this country. His indorpe>1
ments are OF the strongest character, nearly all
coming unsolicited from scientific and medical
institutions Washingtonians are specially in
terested in his success. They are acquainted
with him and know his worth
PRACTICALLY BETWEEN TWO MEN
According to the best information obtainabls
at this time the surgeon generalship practically
lies between Lieut.. Col steinberg and MAJ.
Billings, with Col. Smith as the next most for
midable competitor. The chances are said 10
be in the order named. All three are eminent
in their profession and would undoubtedly do
credit to the Office. The two first named are,
however, especially prominent because Of their
scientific knowledge and are probably better
known to fame than any OF their associates In
the corps. While the President appreciates
the value Of scientific attachments he has de-
termined. il is said. to base his selection pri-
marily on the executive ability Of the eligible
candidates. In his opinion the possession OF
an administrative talent is more essential for
the purposes OF this Office than q knowledge Of
medicine Following the precedent established
in the case of the naval surgeon general the APP
pointment Of the army surgeon general viii be
undoubtedly announced in advance Of the re-
tirement Of the incumbent The appointment
may, therefore, be looked for by Monday.
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