The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-03-31
DANIEL SAYS DON'T
SECRETARY OF WAR SENDS ADVICE
TO THE SENATE.

While Freely Admitting the Distinguished
Military Services of General Miles and
Others, He Does Not Think it Advisable
to Cheaper thu rank of Lieutenant
General, Conferred Upon Only Five
Since Washing ton-what the Acts Con-
ferring the Grade Hitherto Have Speci-
fed as to the Sort of Men Worthy.
Washington, March 30.-The letter of
Secretary Lamont to General Hawley,
chairman of the senate committee on
military affairs, disappearing the bill
to revive the rank of lieutenant gener-
el of the army, was made public today.
The bin was known as intended to con-
+, fer the rank on General Miles, now
! commanding the army, though his name
! is not mentioned in the correspondence
Accompanying the letter are extracts
from the military records of Scott,
Grant, Sherman, Sheridan and Scho-
field, who became lieutenant generals;
also Of Generals Miles, Kruger, and Mer-
IiLt who under the bill would be eli
giole TO the grade Of lieutenant general
The secretary, after acknowledging
the receipt of the bill says that in no
instance has an officer attained this
rank until he has successfully COM
manded the whole or a separate army
in battle or in active campaign.
1.-The grade has been revived always
with the object of comforting compli-
mentary rank upon generals who had
rendered eminent and distinguished
services or those most distinguished
Five besides Washington were thus
honored, of whom four had received
the thanks Of congress by name for
most distinguished military service,
while the fifth had commanded a sep
arate army during the late war, had
attained the highest regular grade 80
years before his promotion, had he
held the chief command of the whole
regular army for seven years and had
successfully discharged most delicate
and responsible civil duties"
Secretary Lamont refers 10 the reor-
ganization act of 1866, fixing the
strength Of the army at sixty regiments
and TO the fact that four years later
the force was reduced to forty regi-
ments, and says:
AT the time of the enactment of this
statute fOrbidding further promotion
10 be lieutenant generals, there still
survived on active duty several off
GERS who had successfully commanded
the whole army, separate armies or
army corps during the civil war, and
as such had rendered most distinguish
ed service, but the power to reward by
further promotion such men as Halleck,
Meade, Hancock and others was DELHI
erately taken away when it was enact
ed in 1870, during the administration
Of President Grant, that the offices then
held by Sherman and Sheridan, when
next vacant, should not be filed. The
present major generals of our army
attained brilliant regulations for gal
lantry while commanding subdivisions
OF army corps during the last conflict,
and have added to their laurels since
by efficient performance of arduous
service upon the Indian frontier; but
II is no reflection upon these excellent
officers to say that the services they
have 50 far rendered are not Of that
exalted character that has hitherto
been regarded as a prerequisite to the
advancement now proposed.
Noting that the grade of lieutenant
general has not been regarded as a per-
m2nent one necessary to our army or
ganization, and has been conferred up
on only a few of those officers who
nave rendered marked services in war;
that the complimentary rank, when
bestowed has often withheld until
long after the demonstration of this
superior ability, and has only been vo-
ted as a reward of great military ge-
MUS and most conspicuous leadership
the conclusion is reached that whatev-
er the merits and promise of any Off
GERS Of our peace establishment, who
as yet have had no opportunity to dem
onstrate their genius and capacity as
commanders of large armies, by the
measure heretofore required, the ex-
listing conditions do not demand its revi-
val at this time"