The age-herald., 1899-08-01
LAST REPORT OF
 SECRETARY ALGER Has Prepared Official Statement Cover
 ing Several Matters. MANY PRESS CRITICISMS
Newspapers Condemned for Assertions
 Which Have No Foundation.
APPOINTMENT OF STAFF OFFICERS
In the Volunteer Army is Made Subject of Particular Reterence-The Port folio Will be Relinquished
 Today-Root is Ready

NdSHilB lOut Juiy ol'-OhO VI NAAo +~N acts of Secretary Alger, who tomorrow will reinquish the war portfolio, was to pre- pare a statement covering several matters regarding the conduct of the war which have been the subject of criticism in the public press, particularly with reference to the appointment of staff officers in the vol unteer army. The statement follows:
 'I am led to make the following state ments on account of the many criticisms that have been made in the press, and par ticuiarly on account of recent article which appeared in the London Times con- taining assertions which have no founda- tion in truth.
 At the commencement of the war with Spain. and for several years prior to that time the regular army consisted of only 25,0OO men, with the minimum number of officers prescribed by law. The situation can be partially appreciated when it is re- membered that within sixty days from the declaration of war the strength of the army was increased to 275 00O and everything for the equipment of this great force inciud- ing clothing, tents, transportation, medical supplies. camps and camp equippage. and all that pertains to equipping an army for service had to be fitted out and distributed for use
 Governors Appointed the Officers
 'From tine statement referred to the pub- lie might be made to believe that the vol uDteers were officered by men selected through political influnce with the secre- tary of war by special favor and without any regard to fitness for the duties they were 10 perform. As is well known, the volunteer force, with the exception of three regiments of engineers, three regiments of cavalry, and ten regiments of immunes in- faE~ty, was made up of regiments from the various states, the officers of which were all appointed exclusively by the governor of the respective states from which the regiments came, and any officer found un- fitted for service and discharged vas re- placed by another in the same manner. The president had no voice or control in the matter.
 ''The returns of tine volunteer army show that in August, 1898. there were POT PA en- listed men and 7S5 officers in those regi- ments. This, with the regular army re- cruited up to the war strength, made an aggregate force of about 275 900 officers and men. The volunteer officers appointed by the president numbered, all told. 1,032. Of this number Al were taken from the regu- lar army and 51 from civil life.
 Scarcity of Regimentai Officers
 'Srhe scarcity of regimental officers in the regular service, owing to appointments in the volunteer special recruiting and mastering details, had so reduced their number that to have taken larger num- Der for service with the volunteers would have seriously impaired the efficiency of the regular regiments. For little over a thousand appointments made by the presi- dent the number of applications was over 25.0O0 and each application was accom- panied by a certificate of his ability, and in most instances, the military service or in the regular or in a state organization, and not infrequently in both. Three cer- tificates showed that each one was as well qualified for the position he sought and to which he was appointed as could be possi- ble for men in civil life in this country.
 "Of the number appointed there were. for instance. 26 major generals of whom 19 were taken from the regular army and from civil life. Of these seven all but one was graduates of West Point military acad- emy and all had distinguished themselves in command during the civil war. Of brig adler generals there were 66 from the regu- lar army and 36 from civil life. Those from civil life had all seen service during the civil war or on our western frontiers, and all had proven themselves competent to command.
 Misleading Statements Made
 "It has been stated, and repeated many times, that the secretary of war made these appointments, when the truth was that very few are made upon his recommenda- ton, although he caused the entire list with the recommendations to be compiled and placed before the president for his se- lections would only be too glad to nave had the honor to have made these appoint ments. No better, no more loyal or more patriotic set of men, as whole, ever serv- ed their country, and their appointments were a credit, not only 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 satis- factorially ahe work they have under them. There were three regiments of cavalry, the officers of which were appointed by the secretary of war. Colonel Leonard Wood. now a brigadier general, and commanding the department of Santiago and Puerto Principe. was one of these. Colonel Griggsby and Colonel Torrsy. both good offcers were the other two. Rhere were three regiments of engineers, the colonels of which were all graduates of the military academy. and not only the officers but the
 CSntin1sd On second Pass5.