The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-07-05
OUR NEW YORK LETTER
HOW OFFICERS OF UNCLE SANS NEW
ARMY HAVE BEEN APPOINTED.
The PSssiAsst and Secretary of war Could
Nos Know Thsm AL aad the Advice of
Consrsssmen Hss Been ssusht-Rough
Rides~-rhe Japs>ese.

NEW YORK, July Al Special lin con-
versation with a number of New Workers.
gentleman who undoubtedly stands very
near to the war department at Washing
ton said today, though quite unoflicially,
that the criticisms made on the appoint
ments of officers In the new United States
army are perhaps more unjust than any
other criticisms al present a1oat.
If you will only follow my analysis of
the situation with me-" said this man,
you will soc that am right The popu-
lation OF the United States rs &c, 600, 900
or thereabouts. l am sure 1t is no exag.
geration to say that 10 per cent of this
enormous number of human beings, or
1000, 900 persons, want something from
the government Ten per cent of this
latter number. or 700, 900, want it bad
enough TO ask for It, How large a per
cent of the 700, 900 have asked for good
things In the army ! don't know but it
is very large-large enough to require six
figures at least
1t would of course be impossible for
Secretary Alger or Presidant Mckinley, or
both OF them, TO know all these applicants
well enough to say who should and who
should not be appointed. 1t would be
physical impossibility for them personally
TO make satisfactory examinations into
the record and character OF the applicants
either, Indeed this could not have been
done had the entire cabinet taken it up
and done nothing else in the meantime.
In point of fact, there was only one way
to make the appointments, and that way
was adopted as q matter of course
1t Has Rested With the Congressman.
81 hardly need say, suppose, that the
advice and assistance of the members of
the upper and lower houses of congress
had to be called in. Mr. Jones from the
state of So-and so would of course know
about the qualifications of the aspirants
from his state, or at least from his dis
trict. Mr.. Smith from the next state
would know about the applicants from his
state and so on.
"Of course there have been individual
applicants, and many of them who were
known to Mr.. Mckinley or Mr.. Alger, and
many such have been appointed on the
strength of their standing with the presi-
dent or the secretary. But in the main
the senators and representatives, regard
less of politics, have been consulted, and
to each state has been allotted such q per-
centage of the total number of appoint
ments as 1t would naturally be entitled
to on the basis of population. So, you see,
that If mistakes have been made the blame
for them should not rest altogether on the
shoulders of Mr.. Mckinley and Mr.. Alger
do not want to be understood as sug-
costing that either of these gentlemen
wishes to shirk one whit of responsibility
On the contrary, neither has ever taken
the time, so far as l know. seriously to
consider what has been printed concern
ing the personnel of the newly made Off
GERS. They do not think probably that
every one of these is Grant or Sheri-
dan or Custer, but they do think that in
the circumstances, which have presented
unparalleled difficulties, remarkably eff
cient list of officers has been got together,
and the mass of the people agree with
them, / am sure, that so far the deeds Of
these officers have justified this thought.
From generals down the officers of the
new United States army have shown brav-
cry and Judgment.