The times., 1898-12-10
The Two Army Bills.

pointing to staff positions the relatives
and friends of influential politicians.
Worse than that it experienced the
consequences of civilians in full charge
Of the active movements in the field
when the Secretary of War and the
Adjutant General virtually suspended
General Miles, selected the commander
of the Cuban expedition, and substitut-
ed for the inspector general the Adju-
tant General himself, a civilian. If ar
gument were needed to show the dan
gerous character of the Hull bill and
the superlative wisdom of the measure
proposed by General Miles. the war
scandals that aroused the public to
fierce Indignation, compelled the Presi-
dent to appoint the Alger Relief Com
mission, and now require Congress
sional investigation. would be conclu-
sive. But the merits of the Miles policy
are obvious. War making is an art
and a science. While great generals
are born, they are sadly handicapped
if they lack specific training in military
science. In the Civil War we had any
number of examples of the inefficiency
of amateur generals. even where they
were men naturally capable. In the
end, only those could project successful
movements who had gone through the
discipline and study provided for at the
Military Academy.
This. however, IS not the only source
of danger from the power of politicians
to appoint staff officers from among
those who have never made particular
pursuit of military science. One of the
most valuable of Mr.. Cleveland's SER
vices TO the country was his denuncia-
ton of politics in the army. and it was
serious purpose of General Sherman
to exclude political influence from mill
tary life. The reason was obvious The
best service can be obtained from army
officers only when they are justly dealt
with by the Government and when
merit alone determines their details
and promotions. The instant political
influence intervenes, demoralization be-
gins. Instead of seeking preferment
through personal efficiency, certain Off
GERS find it easier to cultivate the
friendship of politicians and the merest
accident then determines the qualities
of high officers on whose ability the
lives of thousands and the honor of the
nation may depend. For il by no means
follows that man who has social
standing that may be transmitted into
political pulls is an accomplished SOL
dier. Foreseeing the disastrous effects
on the army of politics, General Sher-
man issued his order N which he pro-
vided for the court-martial of any Off
Ger who should seek a detail or a pro-
motion by the aid of member of Con-
gress or anybody in politics.
With such a politician as Secretary
Alger at the head of the War Depart
ment ii is easy to predict the demorali-
zation of the army under the Hull bill.
1t is far more dangerous than any for
eign foe could be. If Sagasta wants
his revenge on America, he cannot do
better than to urge his friends in this
country to support the bill that has the
approval of Secretary Alger. He can
gain more in this way than by fighting
for the rejection of the treaty. In an
interview printed yesterday General
Miles shows that his bill IS designed to
obtain the highest standard of military
efficiency, regardless of individuals;
that experience in every branch of the
service will be the advantage of every
general officer. No sensible man, how
ever limited his military knowledge.
can doubt the necessity of this if We
are to have an army properly directed.
The more General Miles bill is studied,
the more it commends itself, which is
the exact reverse of the Hull bill, the
chief aim of which is to provide soft
, berths for the sons of somebody" 1t
is hard to believe that the men who
constitute the military committees of
Congress can be induced to surrender
their regard for the efficiency of the
army to their interest in the influence
of politicians 1t is important that the
people should make it their business to
prevent the injury to the army that is
threatened by the Hull bill. The fact
that it has the approval of the men
who wrecked the victorious army in
Cuba. should be enough to condemn it.
This, however is not the ground of op-
position of the best officers in the SER
vice, but the obvious faults and appar-
ent improper motives of the measure