The times., 1898-07-08
MAJOR GENERAL coRBIN.
The Adjutanf General Is Promoted
After N Lively nebnte

Ihe AuJutant GeBeIaI ls Promoted q
After Lively Debate.
The promotion of Adjt. Gen. corbin to
the rank of major general was agreed
upon by. the Senate yesterday.
Mr. Pettus of Alabama after first OBJ
jecting to- the consideration of the bill
promoting Gen Eorbin, declared. after IL
had been taken up On motion carried
over his protest, that the whole proceed
Ing was piece of political and military
favoritism. Gen. Corbin had been pro-
NOTED once during the present year, de-
clared Mr.. Pettus. and without having
done anything to distinguish himself it
Is proposed to promote him again.
Continuing, Mr.. Pettus said: ''It will
not do TO have a favorite in the army.
That very thing has destroyed more gov
ernments than anything else. 1t Is con
trary to good government, contrary TO
all fair dealing with that distinguished
body of men. the officers of the regular
army of the United States. He was not
educated at a military school, but came
into the army from the volunteer force
during the war.
have no respect for the government, and
that Is always done, sir, whenever such
an act of injustice as THIS IS perpetrtted.
Not only so. but In this particular case
Office is created that never existed be-
fore. We nave had war before In the
United States and no major general was
in the adjutant generals oGice. You are
creating a new rank for this favorite
This man can stay safely in his office
while men, MS equal in every respect and
with superior rank, are bearing the heat
and burden or the day at the front
Mr. Allen-r should like to ask he sea-
ator if he does not think that Adit Cen.
Corbin served faithfully during the last
war. and whether he thinks 1t is not
wrong now TO question his bravery Does
the senator not think that thirty-sx
years in the regular army three or four
of which were spent in ac;ual warfare.
ought to be sufficient to bring ou. mis-
qualifications?
Mr. Pettus-I say that man who sits
in the adjutant generals Office. in place
of safety, has no more title to promotion
than men OF equal courage and capacity
and service who fight in the field. | do
not want to see any of THIS taVor:tism in
the army. IT will bring on .usc indiglia-
tion from class of men upon whom we
have to depend to fight our battles.
Mr. Bate followed Mr.. PettuS He said
that he did not believe in favoriciSm any
more than his friend from AI:.bauls.
But" said he. IT believe that if Il man
has the qualifications for this position
they ought to be recognized. i do not
think that any favoritism has been
shown in this case.
"Adft Gen Corbin began his career as
a second lieutenant in the civil war and
has worked himself uD to the high rank
which he now holds. That fact, instead of
being a draw back, should enable him to
advance further. 1t is TO his credit IT,
during the existing war. he has been pro-
NOTED 10 be a brigadier general. Il shows
that the Government has an appr9ciatita
of his capacity and his services.
For a few months, perhaps, he has
been holding the office of brigadier gen
eral, but he has more 10 do with the
organization of the army of the United
States than any other man. save the
Secretary OF War. Indeed. he has more
personal contact with the army than
either the President or the Secretary Of
War.
Those who know him can say that he
is a man of fine intellect and surprising
military bearing. II is just to him, just
10 those who come in contact with him,
and just to the army that he should be
promoted"
MI Seweil, who introduced the meas
ure, after going over Gen Corbin's army
life. said
Without endeavoring TO disparage any
other man in the service of the United
States. ! will say that Gen. Corbin is
the peer of any man in the service of
this Government as an executive officer.
and no man has demonstrated his ability
more than he has during the last two
months He has created an army of
2so 900 men out OF q. 900 He has worked
early and late. He has. added to his
splendid ability and brain, a physique
which has enabled him to do so. / know
Of no other man today who is more en-
titled to a reward than he Is at the
present time. Therefore. | introduced
this bill. and I am very much in favor
OF it
SIR. Foraker. who had been considera-
bly, riled by Mr. Pettus's remarks. said
that he was unwilling that this matter
should go to a vote until he had mega
tived the statement of the senator from
Alabama at least by a counter assertion
that this is not case of favoritism.
Mr. Pettus-I SUPPOSE there never was
any favoritism shown TO any man who
came from Ohio?
Mr.. Foraker-Gen Corbln. instead of
ming his hoHerss in that way, has won
them by meritorious services. Few men
have equally as good a record as he.
at has been abundantly demonstrated
to the satisfaction of all military men
that the rank of adjutant general ought
to be that of major general, for that
officer must deal not only with all of our
officers but with the military establish
ments of the various States. The orders
to the army in the field go through him.
1t is in recognition of what is required
to make an efficient officer that it IS
proposed to make the adjutant general
of the army rank as major general; and
the honor is conferred upon Gen. Corbin
because he happened 10 hold that office,
and because he is naturally capable OF
holding it. and because he has a rec
ord, even if he did come from Ohio.
That fact has nothing to do with the
question. Nevertheless, l do not think
any apology is necessary for anyone from
that State and none will be made to the
senator from Alabama. Gen. Corbin is a
soldier of whom the whole Republic is
proud"
Mr. Hawley and Mr.. Hale also spoke
in defense of Gen. Corbin and of the hin
Mr. Morgan said that while he would
be glad to vote for the promotion of Gen
Corbin. if it should come through the
he was averse to having Congress estab-
liSh the precedent of taking these mat
ters into its own hands.
The bill was then put on it's passage
and was agreed to.
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