The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-10
ABSURD CLAIMS.

Those who are charging the President
with responsibility for large part of the
confusion and Irregularities at Montauk,
Santiago and other points declare that it IS
due to the system which he has built up in
full not to make specifications in connection
with their charges. These clamorers would
lead one to infer that all of the appoint
ments of officials in the supply and medical
branches of the army have been made by
the President.
Anyone who will take the pains to con-
suit the "act to provide for temporarily in
creasing the military establishment of the
United States in time Of war" will find that
the President has not been given the power
to appoint subordinates in any considerable
number. All of the field, medical, staff and
line officers of volunteer regiments are by
law selected by the Governors of States.
For each brigade the President has appoint
ed an assistant adjutant general, quarter
master, commissary of subsistence and
surgeon. For each division, in addition to
the foregoing, there is an engineer officer
and an inspector general. For brigade of
three regiments, the President would select
five officers, while about one-hundred and
twenty would be appointed by the Gov
errors of the States furnishing the reg
iments. Now, as to brigade command
ers, two-thirds were selected from the
regular army, and the remainder, with
few exceptions, were men who served with
distinction in the war for the Union. few.
like General Bancroft of Massachusetts,
and General Mckee, of this State, were Sc
lected because they had been connected with
the National Guard for years. A large part
of the brigade adjutants general, quarter
masters, commissaries and surgeons were
appointed by the President from civil life,
the reason that to have appointed them from
the regular army would have left no Off
GERS to command battalions and companies.
All of these officers in brigades were under
the direction of brigadiers, the larger part
of whom are from the regular army
Much fault has been found with the man.
agement or mismanagement of affairs at
Santiago One would come to the conclu-
sion from the charges made by ciamorers,
that the secretary of war or the Presi-
dent, or both, were responsible because hos
pital stores were not landed. If they were
not personally responsible, the clamorers
assert that they are responsible for the
system by which inefficient officers were
appointed.
The expedition for Santiago was fitted out
under the direction of Generals Miles and
.s.-l.k
masters and surgeons of the regular army.
All of the division and brigade command
ers, with the exception of General Wheeler
and one other, were of the regular army.
The stats were made up largely from the
regular army. There is reason to believe
that no military expedition was ever more
carefully equipped for a campaign. The
so-called political favorite and the rich
mans son did not have important positions.
Most of the medical force was connected
with the regular army, and the heads of
the medical, quartermaster and commissary
departments were men of long experience in
the regular army. 1t is safe to say that
not one of them was appointed by the Pres
ident. They were men of experience, and it
Is lair 10 dSSuIilo THAT IISy u1u the USSl lHSy
could under most adverse circumstances.
The greatest clamor has been raised be-
cause sick men have been sent from SAINT
iago in ill-fitted vessels without sufficient
medical supplies and food. The howlers
have charged these things upon the sys-
tenn of the administration. The officers,
medical and transportation, who had charge
of the shipment were experienced officers of
the regular army. The greater part of the
troops were in command of regular army
officers Even if they had been officers of
insisted that the ships be made clean and
as comfortable as possible, and that rations
and other supplies be laid in for the voyage.
Even indirectly the President cannot be
held responsible, unless it is his duty to in
spect ships and see that regiments have
rations. For the most part the camp and
hospital at Montauk have been under the
direction of regular army officers and sur
geons connected with the army. The Off
GERS for whom the President is responsible
by appointment are subordinates under the
direction of others.
1t is time that sensible people should real
lie how absurd is the clamor which at
tempts to fix upon the President the respon-
sibility for the accidents and failure of Off
GERS whom he did not appoint and for
system which does not exist.