The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-08-01
ILGER'S STATEMENT.
The Retiring War Secretary De-
tends his Administration.
AN ANSWER TO HIS CRITICS.

Denies the Charges That Onlcers For
tho Volunteer Army Were Selected
Through Political Influence and Asks
That His Accounts BE Made Public.
Washington, Aug. Lone of the
last official acts of Secretary Alger,
who today relinquished his portfolio,
was to prepare statement covering
several matters regarding the conduct
OF the war which have been the sub
ject Of criticism in the public press,
particularly with reference to the ap-
pointment of staff officers in the volun-
teer army. The statement follows:
Il am led to make the following
statement on account of the many crit
icisms which have been made by the
public press, and especially on ac-
count of a recent article which ap-
peared in the London Times contain
ing assertions which have no founda-
ton Of truth.
AT the commencement of the war
with Spain, and for several years prior
TO that time, the regular army con-
sisted OF only $4,000 men, with the
minimum number of officers prescribed
by law. The situation can be partial
ly appreciated when it is remembered
that within 60 days from the declara-
tion of war the strength of the army
was increased to 275,O0O men, and
everything for the equipment of this
great force, including clothing, tents,
transportation. medical supplies, camps
and camp equipage, and all that per-
tains to equtpping an army for ser
vice, had to be manufactured, trans
ported and distributed for use.
From the statement referred to the
public might be led to believe that the
volunteer army was Differed by men
selected through political influence by
and without any regard for fitness for
the duties they were to perform. AS is
well known, the volunteer force, with
the exception of three regiments of
engineers, three regiments Of cavalry
and ten regiments of immune infantry,
was made up of regiments from the
various states, the officers Of which
were all appointed exclusively by the
governors of the respective states
from which the regiments came, and
any officer found untitled for service
and discharged was replaced by an
other in the same manner. The presi-
dent had no voice or control in the
matter.
For a little over thousand ap-
pointments made by the president the
number of applications was over U.s.
600, and each application was accom-
panied by a certificate of his ability.
OF the number appointed there were
26 major generals, of whom 10 were
taken from the regular army and seven
from civil life. OF these seven all but
one we're graduates of West Point mil
itary academy, and all had distin-
guished themselves in command dur
ing the civil war. OF brigadier gen.
erals there were 1902 appointed, 66
frem the regular army and SO from
civil life. Those from civil life had
all seen service during the civil war
or on our western frontier, and all had
proven themselves competent to COM
mand.
ut has been stated and repeated
many times, that the secretary of war
made these appointments, when the
truth is that very few were made upon
his recommendation. I would be only
too glad to have had the honor to
have made these apointmpents. No
better, no more loyal or more patriotic
set of men as whole ever served their
country. and their appointments were
a credit not only to the appointing
power, but to the country they served.
Criticisms as to the amounts and
methods of expenditures which could
imply the wrong or careless use Of
were also made by the London
Times. This charge is false. So far
as the conduct of the service was con-
cerned no person with any. knowledge
of the facts can ever charge truthfully,
and no one can ever show that dol
lar was Incorporated, stolen or EN-
bezzled out Of the hundreds of mil
lions of dollars that were expended.
The records are an open book, and /
will be glad to have them rigidly exam
ined and ask my successor to open
those accounts to the country when |
ever properly called for, in order that
the entire truth may be known"