Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-08-04
GENERAL ALGER'S GOODBYE.

Retiring Secretary Replies to Criticisms
Regarding Management of the War.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 2.-One of the
last official acts of Secretary Alger be-
fore relinquishing his portfolio was to
prepare statement covering several
matters regarding the conduct of the
war which have been the subject of
criticism in the public press, particu-
larly with reference to the appointment
of staff officers in the volunteer army.
After referring at some length to the
small standing army at the time Of the
declaration of war, and the immense
work accomplished in increasing the
fighting force to 275, 900 men, the secre-
tary continues:
'From the criticisms referred to the
public might be led to believe that the
volunteer army was oficered~ by men
selected through political influence
with the secretary of war, by special
favor and
without Any Regard to Fitness
for the duties they were to perform. AS
is we'll known the volunteer force, with
the exception of three regiments of en-
ten regiments of immune infantry, was
made up of regiments from the various
states, the officers of which were all ap-
pointed exclusively by the governors Of
the respective states from which the
regiments came. The volunteer officers
appointed by the president numbered.
ali told, 1882. Of this number AL
were taken from the regular army and
591 from civil life. The scarcity of
regimental officers in the regular serv-
ice (holding appointments in the volun-
teers for the recruiting and mastering
details) had SO reduced their number
that to have taken larger number for
service with the volunteers would have
Seriously Impaired the Efficiency
of the regular regiments. For a little
over / 1000 appointments made by the
president the number OF applications
was over $4,000, and each application
was accompanied by {. certificate of his
ability, and, in most instances, the
military service, either in the regular
army ora state organization, and not
infrequently in both. CT the number
appointed there were. for instance, 2G
major generals, Of whom 10 We're taken
from the regular army and from civil
life. OF these seven all but one were
graduates of West Point military acad-
emy and all had distinguished them
selves in command during the Civil
war. OF brigadier generals there We're
1O2 appointed. 66 from the regular army
and 36 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 command. It has been stated and
repeated many times that the secretary
of war made these appointments, when
the truth is that very few were made
even upon his recommendation, al
though he caused the entire list. with
the recommendations, to be complied
and placed before the president for his
information. Iwould only have been
too glad to have had the honor of max
ing these appointments. No better OF
more loyal set of men ever served their
country and their records were not only
ecredit to the appointing power, but to
the country they served. There were
exceptions but that could not have been
foreseen. In every walk Of life men
are found who cannot carry out salts.
factorily the work they have under.
taken.
Regarding Ex penditures.
Criticisms as to the amounts and