Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-07-14
ARMY POLITICS.

Ledgef last 0aluruay uttered some WHOLE
some truths as 10 preferments in the army,
which will live forever 10 the discredit of
the Mckinley administration in the con-
duct of this war The Ledger said -;
Why is it that the navy is so much
freer from the reproach of political in
fluence than the army ? Even in the recent
discussion as to the comparative claims of
Schley and Sampson for the victory at
Santiago there was no whisper that one
was more Influential at Washington than
the other. 1t is, however, an open secret
that General Shafter was appointed to his
present command largely through his
political support, Senators and the Secretary
of War being freely credited with the
intention of giving Skater the opportunity
of winning the first honors of the army,
and then making him Lientenat General
over the head of General Miles. Now that
General Miles is at last allowed to go to
Cuba, he will, of course, take command,
and the honor, as well as the responsibility
will rest with him. Whatever the result,
the country will breathe freer to know that
the ranking officer OF the army is at its
head. One of the little signs of the in
fuence under which General Skater serves
is his brief despatch reporting the safety
of the sons of the Secretary of War and
the Adiutant General and Senator. I'm
portant as was the welfare of these three
young men, fresh from civil life, to their
own families, it shows strange idea on
General Skaters part of what constitutes
news of real interest to the public, thus to
publish to the world his happiness that
these sons of leading statesmen" were
safe. We have yet to hear a word from
him of sympathy for those who have
fallen, for the veteran officers and soldiers
who have endured the hardships of the
campaign in Cuba. In his own army
record it is notorious that his promotion
was secured by forcing into retirement one
of the most gallant soldiers of the war for
the Union, General Forsyth, whose services
were sacrificed to give his unknown and
untried junior the opportunity of winning
glory to the war. General Skaters success
thus far has by no means justified his choice.
In spite of President McKinley's earnest
wish not to sacrifice life needlessly, Gen.
Shafter is responsible for the awful losses
of the battles around Santiago. He violated
the first principles of sound soldering by
attacking an entrenched position with
inadequate force and insufficient artillery.
If he had bided his time, brought up his
guns, taken good positions, made good
roads to connect them with one another
and with the point of embarkation on the
coast, Santiago would have fallen, with no
appreciable loss on our side, but would
General Shafter have satisfied his political
friends? Earnestly as we hope that the
war will be short, sharp and decisive, it
has already lasted long enough to show
that political influence at Washington has
worked great harm. Old soldiers, both
graduates of West Point and those who
have slowly but steadily risen from the
ranks, have been overslaughed. Civilians
have received appointments, under the
pressure of political influence, that ought
to have been the reward of long years
spent in the service of the country. Men
turned down at West Point for want OF
capacity to finish the course of instruction
there have been appointed to positions that
put them ahead of their former classmates,
who worked hard and did we'll there, and
in the army after graduation. The in
stances of old men taken from civil life
and put in high command are SO numerous
as to excite the indignation of the public
at home and the army in the field. With
the adjournment of Congress the President
will be, to some extent, freed from the
pressure to which he has yielded, but that
he did yield to it is in the highest degree
discreditabe to the Administration. in
JuIlouS W tuo army anu OHonclNO W uAo
country. That he got few more votes
for the annexation of Hawaii was openly
stated on the floor of Congress, but it
hardly evoked a whisper there. Loyal as
we all are to the country, aud proud
of the army and the navy and the brave
men who have won imperishable glory, it
is for the press to give voice to the strong
feeling among the people that this business
of political influence has gone too far, has
been productive OF too much injury, and
must be stopped. Let General Miles COM
mand and make recommendations for pro-
motion, and let us have no more political
influence in the army.