The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-18
ARMY APPOINTMENTS.
The Civilian Selections Are Compe-
tent to Discharge Their Duties.
New York Sun.

New York Sun.
Some newspapers of mischievous and ma
lcious disposition are seeking to provoke
popular discomfort by pretending that be-
cause commissions have been given 70 a
score or more of young men from civil life
the interests of the military service have
been sacrificed to reward undeserving IA
vorites. They publish these appointments
under the heads of SONS sons OF scb Eathers 80
the Social Pull with a seditious intent to
create the impression that mere nepotisl4l
has governed the making OF Them to the
obvious injury of the army.
The truth is, as we explained particularly
not long ago, appointments TO command IN
the field have been made Wlth s wise Serd ana
strated in long experience in service, and
these criticised so malciously nave been al
most exclusively to staff places. These lat
ter are offices like those of quartermasters;
commissares, paymasters, inspectors, ana
personal aids to general officers, where the
abilities of the young men selected are ful-
W. If not especially, adequate to the duties
required OF them. Their functions will de-
mand and exercise aptitudes bred In civil
life and activity and alertness belonging TO
youthful energy are eminently desirable Tor
them. AS whole, those appointed are al
together competent for the tasks wnicn VIII
be imposed by their offices, and they Will
acquire speedily the necessary experiences,
more especially as they will have the ad-
vantage of observing the routine OF the large
number of trained army officers slmui-
taneously appointed to like places, though
generally army officers trained in the feld
crave rather the opportunity OF employhnnenl
in the line and not the star, ana are pest
employed in the command of troops.
So far from being ground OF accusation
against these young men from civil Ire
that they have sought these staff places or
their friends have sought them for the
youth, they are deserving of applause for
their ambition to enter the military service
under circumstances which are best adapted
to the fullest exercise of their abilities. Dur
ing the civil war great numbers OF young
men of similar antecedents were appointed
to the staff and generally they performed
their duties with admirable skill and assiu-
uity AS the staff in time of war is likely
to be exposed to special dangers, these
young men cannot be accused Of any dis
position to escape from the perils of the
military service.
AS a rule, the selections for these STAN
places from civil life seem to have been
made wisely. Because they are sons or
grandsons of able and prominent men is in
ferentially point in their favor They
have an inheritance of ability, and presum-
ably there is in them the pride of character
which is always a valuable resource for
young man in the trials and under the
hardShips and dangers of actual warfare.
( The eagerness of such young men to re-
spond to the call to arms is one OF the most
hopeful indications of this time. 1t shows
that there is no 6egeneracy in the Ameri-
can race and that the long interval OF
peace has not weakened the energy of our
youth Whether they go into the military
of them have done and are doing. or as
commissioned officers, they exhibit the
same courage and patriotic devotion. In
each capacity the strength of their man
hood is likely to be put to the severeSt test,
and moreover, the experience of war proves
that the officer, whether of the staff or the
line, is even more in danger of wounds ana
death than the enlisted man.