New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-22
STILL AFTER LAMONT.
THE sECRETARY'S COURSE CONTINUES
TO EXCITE COMMENT.
PROMISED REFORMS" HAVE TAKEN TIE SHAFT
or EXTENSIONS or ALLEGED "AHrsEs-
POLITICS MORE IMPORTANT TO HIM
THAN ARMY AFFAIRS.

THAN ARMY AFFAIRS.
Washington. March 70 tspcciaD Secretary La
mont Is deeply engrosscd In political affairs. prac-
tcallv 10 the exclusion OF all other matters lie IL
not regular in attendance at the War department.
and frequently cannot be seen In the course OF the
usual Office hours. His lack Of familiarity Win
military affairs has led him 10 surround himself as
TIE Tribune has before pointed out. with mum
Der OF Army officers. additional TO the heads OF
stan corps who duty at the department. as
confidential adviser. In many important official
questions II Is said. he defers TO the opinion or
these subord!nate.. instead OF relying upon the
counsel OF the chiefs OF bureaus These advisers
are OF junior rank and have Sc; themselves up as
fudge and jury their seniors with the kno"l-
edge or TO use the military term. by direction OF
the Secretary. A number OF chiefs OF bureau re-
sen, the course OF Secretary Lamont. and are In
dgnant that their recommendations relating TO
administrative affairs should be subject to revie"
and revision by the Secretary's confidential aids
Yet they must submit TO the ndignity by direction
Of the secretary OF War.
No head OF the War Department since the close
Of the War OF the Rebellion has had more than one
confidential assistant but they knew the workings
OF the department and gave personal attention TO
official matters. II is known that Secretary La
mont has three aids and II is suspected mat he
has several others. or course. the attempt has
been 70 keep this fac, carefully guarded from the
public Mr. Lamont Is at all times mysterious and
uncommunicatve II Is the exception when nc per-
mi,s news relating 10 the affairs OF his depart
ment to get out. Every Official al the War Depart
ment fears to furnish intelligence concerning the
Army without the special authority OF the Secre
tary OF War. Even then the Secretary usually
edits what Is given TO tho press or his confidential
advisers do so for him Cabinet officer is supposed
to be habltually at his desk to give his personal
attention to the matters OF his department and to
ft.pc of
1t Is the exception for him to rely upon advice
wholly and no instance In recent years Is recalled
when the head OF a department called to his
sstance aids and counsellors other than those pro-
vided for by law. except In extraordinary cases.
Both law and custom give the Secretary OF War
councillors the Chief OF Engineers. the Chief OF
Ordnance. the Chief CommIssary OF Subsistence the
Quartermastor r General. the Surgeon-General. the
Paymaster-Genera and the Inspcctor-G General. Be
sides. he has the Adtutant General and the Com
mandlng General. Other Secretaries OF War have
found this sufficient staff for routine affairs. II
not In Of great emergency. The chiefs OF bu-
rcaus specialists and 1t II the exception when
they not OF ability. wei versed In the
various questions affecting their respective corps
as the result OF long experience Therefore. 1t Is
safe and customary to rely upon their Judgment
In the details Of military administration. They are
In fact all the councillors that required II the
Secretary Of War is attentive TO his own duties
In a sense the chiefs OF bureaus. win inc 'on-
manding General. form War Department Cabinet
They know what the military conditions are. and
the head OF the War Department In the past has
depended upon them especially In matters OF detail
and frequently In questions Of general policy.
In recent years Secretaries Lipcoln Endicott
Proctor and Elklns depended upon them to the nd
vantage OF the Army. When Secretary Lamont wns
elevated from his position director In the man.
agenent OF certain railroad interests In New-iork
City to the head OF the War Department. there was
a blast OF trumpets sounding his praises az re-
former. Affairs at the War Department were said
by the Cuckoo press TO be In bad way. Every
thing which had been done by Secretaries Proctor
and Elkns was to be overturned and the Depart
mcnt and the Army 10 be put on business
footing" The blasts OF the trumpet were loud even
whole brass bands played. and the Mugwump ana
the Cuckoo press were elated The key OF all the
notes sounded was Reform" with big "R" Par
tcular attention given to the enormous num-
Der Of Army officers duty In Washington Who
had been brought here by Secretaries Proctor ana
Elkns The axe was to be applied promptly. vgor-
ously. The stroke fell finally and few jealous, In
te,iigent officers who had been giving their best
energies their duties but who HAD been detailed