The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-27
ARMY PLACE FOR ATKINSON.
GOVERNOR MAY YET BE A BRIGA-
DER GENERAL.

President Alleged to Have slated
Him for Appointment Under The
second Call for VOIunteers-Thc
News SURPRISE TO the Georgia
congressman in View of the Fact
That They Are known to Favor
Col. Gordon or Col. Wight.
washington, May 26.-Gov. Atkinson Is
slated for appointment as brigadier gen.
eral of volunteers, under the second call
issued by the President yesterday.
This information comes from a source
thai cannot be questioned, and unless a
hitch in the programme occurs before the
list of nominations is sent to the Senate
Gov Atkinson will receive a commission.
The Governor name is not being press
ed for consideration by any of the Geor-
gia delegation, as Representative Adam.
son is the only Georgia congressman who
is avowedly favoring his appointment
Even Judge Adamson has not made his
preference known at the White House or
war department recently.
These appointments may not be made
for several weeks, but it is known that
a list of twenty-five names was made up
to-day and Gov. Atkinson's name was in
cluded among the ehgibles. 1t is known
that the President desires to give Georgia
recognition among the general officers,
and because of the unfortunate dsagree-
ment of the delegation over Coils Gordon
and Wight the selection of Gov. Atkinson
is supposed to be in the nature of a com
promise.
The strong point in favor of the Gov,
ernor is the fact that he openly rendered
his services to the President when the
first call for volunteers was issued.
This news win come as great surprise
to the members of the Georgia delegation
who have been pressing the appointment
of Col. Wight ever since the caucus de-
cided upon him as Georgia's choice. When
Senators Bacon and Clay and Representa-
tive Griggs, the committee appointed by
the caucus. presented the name of Col.
Wight at the White House and the war
department, they were informed that the
list of brigadiers would be confined TO pro-
motions from the regular army. They
were also informed that when the time
arrived for making appointments from
civil life, the name of Col. Wight would
Al the same time it was stated that
the President was averse to appointing
men to the rank of brgadier who had not
seen actual military service. He added
that he desired to hold open some of the
places for promotions won by regimental
commanders on the field of battle
The new call opens the way for a num-
Der of such appointments, and il is the
Presidents desire to make some of these
appointments from Southern states
There is no doubt that it was the Presi-
dents original desire to appoint Col. Cor
don, and he did not hesitate to express
his disappointment at the delegation pre-
senting another mans name, especially
in view of the fact that he knew that both
Senators Bacon and Clay were originally
favorable TO the selection of Col. Gordon.
Having gone into the caucus they have
been loyalty supporting Col Wright, and
their hands have been so tied that they
could not consistently make any other
suggestion relative to possible candidates
for a brigadier generalship.
With the Presidents mind tending in
one direction and the recommendation of
the Georgia delegation pointing in another,
a conflict has presented itself to the Sec
rotary of War and the officials of the
war department. In view of this condition
OF affairs it is possible the name of Gov.
Atkinson was brought forward in the ma
ture of a compromise by the war depart
ment officials
II is possible that a protest may be en-
tered against the selection of Gov. Atkin-
son before final action is taken, for it is
known that some of the members of the
delegation are opposed to his appointment
Oh the ground that he lacks military ex-
perience.