The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-08-01
lLGER Brings OUT
FACTS N HIS favor.

this number ~ were taken from the regu-
lar army and 5Sl from ctyl life The
scarcity Of regimental officers In the reg
ular service. owing 10 appointments In tho
volunteers, special recruiting and muster
ing details. had 20 reduced their number
that to have taAen large number for
service with the volunteers would have
seriously impaired the efficiency Of the
regular regiments. For q little over =
thousand appointments made by the pres
ident. the number of applications WAS over
2. 900. and each application Was accom-
panied by a certificate Of his ability. and.
in most instances. Of military service.
either In the regular army or state Or
ganiatIon. and not .nfrequentiy In both.
All Competent % Command.
ssThese certificates showed that each one
was a. well qualified for the position he
sought and to which he was appointed a
could be possible for men In civfl NE
In this country. or the number appointed
there were, for instance. twenty-six major
generals. OF whom nineteen were taken
from the regular army and seven from
civil life OF these seven all but one were
graduates OF West Point military acad-
envy, and all had distinguished themselves
In command during the civil war OF the
brigadier generals there were 100 appoint
ed. sixty-Mx from the regular army and
thirty-six 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.
A Glory 10 Their Country.
ut has been stated and repeated many
times that the secretary OF war made these
appointments. when the truth II that very
few were made upon his recommendation.
although ne caused the entire list, with
A. - ia Avas4
placed before the president for his selec-
ton. would be only too glad to have
had the honor to have made these appoint
ments No better no more loyal or more
patriotic set OF men. a. whole. ever
served their country. and their appoint
ments were q credit. not only to the APP
pointing power. but TO the country they
served. There were exceptions. but that
could not have been foreseen. In every
walk Of lie men are found who cannot
carry out satisfactorily the work they
have undertaken.
AlEer's Three Colonies.
There were three regiments OF cavalry.
the Officers OF which were appointed by
the secretary OF war. Col. Leonard Wood.
now a br.gad.sr general and commanding
the departments OF Santiago and Puerto
Principe. was one Of these. Col. Griggsby
and Col Torrey. both good officers. were
the other two.
There were three regiments OF engin-
GERS. the colonies OF which were all grad
yates OF the military academy, and not
only the officers. but the enlisted men.
were selected with a view to their special
fitness and In most instances upon the
recommendations Of the coioneis them
selves, and all proved themselves most ef-
fic.ent.
There were also ten regiments OF i'm
mune infantry. Of whose colonies eight
were graduates OF the military academy
who were selected for special fitness 20
command and In the short time these
regiments were In service developed re-
markable proficiency.
Not One Dollar sQuanaePed.
Criticisms as to the amounts and meth
DDS OF expenditures. which could imply
the wrong or careless use Of money, were
also made by the London Times. This
charge In false. so far as the conduct OF
the service was concerned no person with
any knowledge Of tho facts can ever
charge truthfuiy. and no one can ever
show. that a dollar was Incorporated.
stolen or embexzIed out of the hundreds
Of millions OF dollars that were expended.
The records are an open book. and viii
be glad TO have them rigdly examined.
and ask my successor to open those ac-
counts TO the country whenever properly
called for In order that the entire truth
may be known. "R. A. AI.GER,
Secretary OF War.
washington. u. C., July II. 1880"
M. Root Takes Charge Today.
Mr. Root has notified Secretary Aigcr
that he will be in Warrington and ready
10 assume control Of the war department