The Wichita daily eagle., 1895-09-19

Su6P
Letter Showing How Tecumseh Sher-
man Viewed the Matter-Lamont will
Go Slow in Making Selection for this
Important Place.
Washington, Sep. ia vacancy oc-
CURED in the army Saturday for which
over one hundred duly ordained minis
ters of the gospel have been patiently
waiting for long time. 1t is occas-
ioned by the compulsory retirement
Of Post Chaplain John d. Parker, by
operation of law ON account of age
Chaplain Parker is now at San Diego,
California, where he has been on a
sick leave for several weeks. He is
native OF New York, but was appointed
to the army from Missouri in July
1882
Applications for appointments Of this
kind are more numerous than in the
case Of almost any other office within
the gift of the President, and it is
said that he is subjected to more impor-
tunity on their account than DIN any
oteflr class of appointments, including
even the highly desirable places in the
pay departments of the army and navy
which are similarly open to civilians.
Chaplains who are irreyerently termed
sky pilots" by soldiers not having the
fear OF God before their eyes, occupy a
dignified and honorable position in the
service and usually have very easy
and congeniaI employment. They are
appointed for life and are retired on
three-quarters pay. The law provides
for thirty post chaplains and four reg
mental chaplains. OF this number
three of the chaplains (regimentaD are
negroes. The lega! quota was fun un-
til Chaplain Parker retired, and there
appears to be a most unSeenlly Scram-
ble for this vacancy. The pay of a
chaplain is 81, 500 per annum, with an
Increase every five years until it reach
es s2,100. The retired pay ranges from
H,350 to $3.50 a year, according to the
length of service.
1t is learned on good authority that
the existing vacancy will not be filed
for several weeks at least, inasmuch
as Secretary Lamont does not propose
10 bring the matter to the presidents
attention until he returns to the city
from Gray Gables in October. There
Is no special occa sion for haste in the
matter, and it is not believed that the
service will suffer any serious detri-
ment from the proposed delay. The
10 the unusual persistency evinced by
applicants for appointments as chap
lafns is shown in letter which was
written to an applicant by General
William T. Sherman in July, 1882. while
he was in command of the army, with
headquarters at Washington. The
views of that rugged old soldier were
expressed with unusual bluntneSS and
vigor, Notwithstanding which they are
hn of
cials of the army.
The letter which has never before
appeared in print, is as follows (tbe
name of the recipient being omitted)
Headquarters Army of the United
States, Washington, ID. c., July 20,
1882. My Dear Sir: Yours OF the oath
Is received, and if your brother, --
-, will make his application to
the secretary of war for a chaplaincy
in the army and send me his papers,
/ will indorse and lay them before the
secretary for action of the president,
who alone always makes these appoint
ments.
81 never give original letters to the
president or secretary of war, because
II would be wrong for me to do SO, as
they might refer several applicants
to me for selection, and I would seem
to be committed to the one holding my
letter. i INllk IUeTe are several Hull-
dred applicants now. each one of whom
is stronger in the faith than st. Paul
and most of them, before appointment
are anxious to be martyrs; but once
appointed and confirmed, they object
to our frontier posts because they are
ill-adapted for raising a large family
of small children.
'Of course the whole system as now
is farce, and meant to be so. If con-
gress wanted the army to have the in
fiuence of religion ii would allow the
commanding officer of each post remote
from civilization TO hire and pay for a
minister while employed, like surgeons.
OF such posts there nearly hundred
whereas the chaplains are limited TO
thirty-Say, half of whom are sick, or
don't like the isolation of Texas. Ariz-
ona. etc. OF course, there are no va
cancies now. and they are gobbled up
as soon as the telegraph announces a
death-there are no resignations-and
go greedy are the applicants that they
will not even wait for the funeral.
IF your brother wants TO join in this
scramble TO become a. martyr, let him
Send me his papers, and | Will see that
they are filed; and then let him have
some senator or member of congress
to rush to the president the moment
he learns a chaplain is in eXtremiS'
With great respect.
wv. T. SHERMAN"