The evening times., 1898-12-17

ment clerk to the highest cause that can
engage a peoples interest. make little
impression on the country. At this mo-
ment, however, when we are investigat-
ing the appalling consequences Of an in
lection of the spoils doctrines into the
army system, and when there is bill be-
fore Congress to perpetuate the evil, no
consideration of anybody's feelings can
be allowed to interfere with the patriotic
duty of opposing it. That pern!cious
measure, condemned by the commanding
general and by every trustworthy and
experienced soldier who does not depend
on political influence for advancement
condemned also by the principles pro-
claimed by every efficient general in Eu-
rope-has the support of the Secretary OF
War, the Adjutant General and presum-
abby of the politicians who are not m m
bers of the Military Committees of Con-
gress and therefore have less knowledge
of and less concern about the efficiency
of the army.
In order TO promote this mischievous
bill, Adjutant General Corbin appear
ed before the House Committee and made
the astounding assertion that no voTun eer
officer or soldier has made any complaint
or charge of a lack of any article of ne
7 cessity during the recent war; that never
was an army better provided for. etc. At
that very hour a commission appointed
by the President To investigate he oharces
made by volunteer and regular officers
ana soldiers against the maIadministra-
uon Of Secretary Alger and Adjutant Gen
eral Corbin, especially in the matter of the
neglect of the common needs of the army.
was listening to the conclusive testimony
OF volunteer officer of high rank OH this
very subject. The following days such
officers as General Weston. Chaplain Nc
Cook and others added to The enormous
mass of damning evidence which the AL
ger Relief Commission has been unable to
reject
II happens that this year the dodder
ing, discredited old women who have
tancied they were saving the nation from
the demoralizing influence of the Ameri-
can people. have some right TO popular
attention. The appointment of Mr.. Alger
I" the office of Secretary of War and tho
selection of an Ohio amateur soldier for
the post of adjutant general have
brought the natural fruits. owing TO a
war that was not foreseen when these
men We're chosen and to an army enlarge
nent that is necessary To meet the new
conditions growing out of the war. The
rejection of the patriotic offers of regu-
lar army officers on the retired Est and
officers of the Civil War in favor of the
inexperienced progeny and proteges of
politicians made il possible for the am
htion of the amateurs Of the Var Office
10 wreck an army. Now. ey intend to
carry their Spoiis methods irIo the regu
lar army. with what destructive conse-
quences We may judge from what they
nave already achieved II is this which
induced men who usually ignore Mr..
Schurz's Civil Service Growl Association
To take advantage uf its meeting to en-
Ter u timely protest Mr. Bonaparte and
other enemies Of the movement 10 open
the army to the spoilsmen would have
done better 10 orga nize protesting body
apart from the un-Amerlcau crowd II
Grumblers Of foreign birth or sympathies
put since they did not. We are bound to
make use Of their arraignment of the
Administration a. far as tn, army is con-
erned The smaller matters of dismiss
80 clerks and the like call for no atten-
ton, In his paper under the title can
We Trust Our Army 10 Spo:lsmen?" Mr.
Bonapdrte compares the boasr oF SeCre-
tary A!ser with his achievement ard
quote - hes. lords fypy, . ,,-aIl
foreign critic man who was viii ar
army IN CUBA ana paid the highest com
plinent to the courage and endurance Of
our soldiers:
ll-rc al Jho cRd or the nineteenth century. one
ot iEt richest nations earth. one o: the most
int iiecut. and which poses a being among
tie mest CIVILIZED. sends cut small army to
feht. but shows herself unable either To iced tho
soldiers that fight fer her, tend the wounded that
bleed far her, Ia bury TIE dead thai die for
her.
To Secretary Alger Mr.. Bonaparte re-
ferred as "a man whom most soldiers re-
sarded with suspicion and contempt" He
expressed a sentiment that will be echoed
by all loyal Americans who know what
mischief has already followed the admin
~ al Any otlisiiS Dl the CIVILIAN
and unframed Secretary of War and Ad-
Jutant General, when he said that if we
can free the country from this yoke-this
domination Of the army by civilians and
the application of spoils doctrines to the
regular army-we can continue TO be
proud of our soldiers; though with Mug
wumpian meanness, the effect of his as
ISOLATION with the Schurz crowd he mt
IT in other words. saying that our sol.
diers VIII continue to be those among the
nations children ''of whom she has least
cause to be ashamed This must have
been injected by Schurz himself who will,
not concede that any American is a souI
80 be proud of
The evil which is here pointed ont and
which was the cause of the criticism
quoted will be continued unless public
opinion makes itself heard against anv
army bill that has the Endorsement of
Aiger and Corbin and is opposed by Cen
eral Miles.
The Latest Idiocy