The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-05
SENIORITY AVID SELECTION.
TAs,r vsryine CIsir,. IN Promotions 70 HIsh
Grades IN the Army.

WARRINGTON. Dec. 4-Since the 18th OF March
last there have been four appointments 10 the
rank Of Brigader- General taking stan and
line together. and Of these only one has been
that OF the senior officer in the grade below.
Col w. T. Carin. when promoted. was third
among the line Colonies. Surgeon G.. NJ, Stern
berg was not oven in tho next grade OF med-
cal officers whom raised to the rank ofSurgeon-
General. but. on the contrary. half n dozen
officers in that superior grade. and severa
In his own were jumped at his promotion.
Col J. 3 Otis. appointed q Brigadier. Gem
eral few days ago was tho second in
rank among the Colonies OF the army. On the
othor hand. Col q. u. Rugcles. who was pro.
noted TO DO Adiutant- General some weeks
since. was the senior in his department The
conclusion thus indicated would seem TO he
that seniority IL not a paramount consideration
in appointments
1--we review the promotions under President
Harrison We find that Col. j. c. kelton when
appointed Adiutant- General was the senior
officer under Gen. Drum whom he succeeded,
as was Col. Williams under Gen Kelton when
he received tho star in his turn. However. for
faymnster.t General to succeed Gen. Roches.
ter. Lieut. Col. Smith was taken from the Sec
ond grade below. thus skipping a whole grade.
Gen. y. A. Miles was the senior Brisadier whom
made MaIor-Gcneral on the death " Gen.
Crook. and Col. b. II. Grierson. the senior
Colonel. was at the same time promoted to be
Brlgadier- General: but when the latter retired
for age. his successor. Col. McCook. was lot ut
the head OF his grade. In appointing a Conn
missary- General. Col. Du Barry was selected.
and he was tho senior in the Subsistence De-
partment; hut on his retirement for age he
was succeeded by Con. Hawkins. who was not
the ranking officer. In the Surgeon Generals
department two successive seniors came to
tho head In tho persons OF Surgeon q on erals
Baxter and Sutherland. prior to tho appoint
ment. under the present Administration. OF
Surgeon General Sternberg. as already noted.
For OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. President Hnrrl-
son skipped whole grade and chose Lieut.
Col H. y. lintcheler. while for Chief OF ord
nance a junior ofllhos also Cul d. ". FIagler,
was taken. The successor to Gen. Gibbon
was Col Kautz. not the senior reglmental
commander: and Gen. Kaut2'l successor. Col
Wheaton. was the second fromNhe tor though
practically the senior for the purpose. since
Col. Andrews. the highest officer. was to retire
in few week. so that his candidacy was out
OF the question. col. Carr. who succeeded
ten. STANLEY. was not the senior Colonel Of the
line. although the highest III his arm, the
cavalry: and Col otis, who was nominated by
President Harrison to succeed Col Carr. but
senior Colonel
Taking all these, instances from the record
OF Mr, harrison AuiululstratlOn. tho lntCr-
ence Is contlrme thai seniority at best cannot
be said to play tho leading part In promotion
anon. the grades OF general officers. although
scale. It's lack OF controlling influence was
not numericay SO marked. however. under
the former Administration as 1t has been
thuS far under the present.
The difference In this respect between tho
former. seniority is the uniform rule in line
promotions. from Ensign up to and including
Rear Admiral. the highest grade: whereas in
w mi ia ms fl.A
grade OF colonel. after which selection ny the
PRESIDENT takes its place In the navy is
selection. vet thcy hold office only for a term
OF years. and only during that period may ac-
quire increased relative rank.
In foreign naval services two opposite
systcmB prevail. In one OF them the rule is to
promote in lowe grades by seniority and in
the higher by selection: while in the other Sc
lectioa rules lower down and seniority above.
We also flnd. In some instances. a mixture OF
the two ~ stems Thus. Italy promotes to the
grade Of sub Lieutenant by seniority. but to
that OF Lieutenant. in time VI peace. one-third
OF Iteutenant-t commander II is half selection
in neaes md all IN war And in the higher
France begins with partial selection increas-
ing the element Of lection as the grades 90
stricted al the start, and continues TO the
grade Of Captain. when strict seniority is sub
In our own services two d iirerent IN ovements
have been observed OF late one OF them,
10y the Thythan Tosrd ' ns ~9 snbstntns eeTi
tain specified systems OF selection for the hard
and-fast seniority rule now maintained. The
other. III the army took the form ~ II bill in
Congress I" make appointments OF the heads
OF stan departments by seniority within tho
respective DEPARTMENTS. This last measure,
however seems to have been suggested BY IA
feeling OF grievance in particular instances.
aud II IL not likelY to become a law.
. The very object. indeed. OF the present rule
Ia apr1lhilnG general oihcers IN the army Is
To escape the restrictions OF seniority in the
highest grades. whore rapahiity and r'-
hcieucy al" more important TO the country
tho latter, with other things equal to- uroye
the decisive element. and yet ether cunsidera-
OF II tan department. freedom from prejudice
may he needed In view OF contemplated
changes in the method Of administrator; or.
on tn" other hand. the mere advantage OF Sc |
curing continuity OF control NAV load to the |
election OF II Junior officer rather than one |
who lsentlrcy competent. but ~ verr soon to |
retire for age. In the line. whore the Brig
adler Genera,s command geographical de- |
UHTtnlents, the same objection on tho ground |
sired 10 nave nm oHcer Young enough to lako /
he Held IN hard ampagnin. should Indian |
hostiltirs break ont On tn other hand. there |
have been repratei cas"I, NOTABLY that Of G-n, !
Potter III Mr.. tleyelands former Administra- |
ton and zen, tarlin's in the present. when !
I olonels who We're 70 retire WI thin few months /
recognition of their long and fnithtul ser. |
vice. since little could he expected Of them in !
TN tho whole. the advantage Of retaining the |!
system OF selection Tor the army IN the higher /
grades Is apparent individual instances OF |
pHssing over seniors or OF rewaTlng some !
who are TO retire early. aud not others may |
seem u hardship 70 the friends Il those con- |
'erned. and objection has been made 10 the !
awarded. But the advantages OF the present /
system exceed any drawbacks. Sometimes II /
rorrectI anomalies or instances OF III fortune /
In the seniority experience "fthe grades below. !