Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-19
THE ARMY QUIDNUNCS
All at Sea in Regard to the Policy
of Promotions.
THE PRESIDENTS POLICY
Does Not Seem to Be What They Expected
It Would Be-Gossip Over Gen. Carlin's
Appointment Uncertainty ~ to the Fill
ing Of Future Vacancies.

The army quidnuncs are all at sea again.
They thought they knew something about
President Cleveland's policy in the matter Of
army and navy appointments. Their theory
on this point was confirmed when Medical In
spector Tryon was made surgeon general Of
tn navy over the head of twenty-eight rank
ing officers in his corps. 1t was knocked into
"a cooked hat, metaphorically speaking, how
ever, when Col. Carlin was promoted to the
vacancy in the list Of brigadier generals of the
army.
SUPPOSED EXECUTIVE POLICY.
According to these wiseacres the President
had determined to overlook altogether, in the
matter Of promotions, all officers who were on
the verge Of retirement, or. in other words, he
would discontinue entirely the practice of pro-
noting officers nearing retirement for the pur-
pose of enabling them to retire with increased
rank and pay. This policy was carried GU. in
the case of Surgeon General Tryon. Medical
Directors Gihon and Dean, who stood first and
second in rank and seniority In the medical
corps, were told by their friends that they had
been passed by simply because they would be
retired in few years and because it was felt
that the interests Of the service demanded that
the officer selected for the head Of the bureau
should be able to serve out his term of four
years.
UPSET BY GEN. cARLIN's APPOINTMENT.
The argument was a reasonable one and they
submitted with the best possible grace. II
was thought that the same rule would apply to
the army so far as was consistent with the dir
ferences in the laws relating TO the respective
services. These calculations have been COM
pletely upset, however, by the promotion OF
al
eligible for the vacant brigsdier generalship he
has the shortest term to serve on the active list
He will be retired by operation Of law in No
vember next. His early retirement was the
only reasonable objection that had ever been
offered against his elevation. His record was
exceptionally honorable and his capacity I'M
questioned. but he had been passed over so fire.
quently by his juniors solely on account Of his
age. that he was thought TO be out of The race,
especially after the Presidents action in the
case Of the naval surgeon general.
TWO OTHER IMPORTANT ApPoISrMrN rs.
1t may be stated a fact, however. that Col
Carlins promotion is most popular in the army.
Nevertheless it tends to distress those officers
who had hoped to see in this appointment a
clear indication of the Presidents policy in
such matters. especially as he will soon have
two other important army appoin tmen.s at his
disposal. These are the Offices of surgeon gem
eral and adiutant general. The first named
Office will become vacant on the 29ih instant
By the retirement of Surgeon General Suther-
land, and the other will become vacan. in
November rext by the retirement Of Adjutant
General Williams. II the President had ad-
bered to his rule in the case of the surgeon
general in the navy Col. Page, the senior officer
in the medical corps Of the army, and Col
Vincent. the second senior officer in the list OF
assistant adjutant generals. would have been
eligible for promotion TO the prospective
vacancies IN the heads Of their respective de-
partments, for the reason that they are both
near The age Of retirement. Now. while neither
OF them has any certainty of promotion, he
stands equal chance of success with any
other officer of his department
NOT ALWAYS BY SENIORITY.
1t is we'll known. however, that such appoint.
ments do not always so by seniority. Under
President Harrison seniority was often set
aside in appointments OF general officers in the
army and of heads OF staff departments, both
in the army and navy. Indeed. the very object
OF the existing law is to free tie President from
any trammels OF il seniority rule for such APP
poiutmen.s.
President Cleveland will have the appoint
ment of chief to every one of the bureaus in
the navy, since apart from the question OF age
retirement, appointments are for period Of
four years only. to act rs head of the bureau,
and then reappointment is needed. But in the
army. should the same SUSPECTED intention pre-
vail, the innovation would be much more seri-
ouS. because there the appointment by the
President of chief of u staff corps carries
with it permanent promotion to the rank and
pay of brigadier general.
BEST FOR THE SERVICE IN EACH CASE.
In view of the recent apparently policy-con-
ficting appointments the gossips have con-
cluded that the only rule that the President has
adopted in this matter is to do what he thinks
best in each individual case without regard to
questions Of seniority, and that where it may
be well to follow beaten path in a certain
class of appointments it NAV be altogether
better to follow sntirely different path in
another class In other words he will have no