Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-08-01

POINTMENTS WE'RE MADE BY
THE PRESIDENT, AND WE'RE
NOT MADE FOR POLITICAL PUR-
POSES.
WASHINGTON. July 31-One of the
last official acts of Secretary Alger,
who, tomorrow, will relinquish his
portfolio, was to procure 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
volunteer army.
The statement follows:
Il am led to make the following
statements on account OF the many
criticisms which have been made by
the public press, and especially on ac-
count of a recent article which appear
ed in the London Times containing as
sertions which have no foundation in
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 min
8 af1 no NJ
law The situation can be partially APP
preciated when it is remembered that
within sixty days from the declaration
of war, the strength of the army was
increased to 275,000 men, and every
thing for the equipment Of this great
force, including clothing, tents, trans
portation, medical supplies, camps and
camp equippage, and all that pertains
to equipping an army for service had
to be manufactured, transported 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
the Secretary Of War, by special favor
and without any regard to fitness for
the duties they were TO perform. As
Is well known, the volunteer force with
the exception of three regiments Of en-
gineers. 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 unfit for service and discharged
was replaced by another in the same
manner. The President had no voice or
control in the matter.
1.-THE returns of the volunteer army
show that in August, 1898, there were
207,244 enlisted men and S,7S5 officers
in those regiments. This, with the reg
ular army recruited up to the war
strength, made an aggregate force OF
about 275.0O0 officers and men. The
volunteer officers appointed by the
President numbered all told 1882. Or
this number AL were taken from the
regular army and 591 from civil life.
The scarcity OF regimental officers in
the regular service, owing to appoint
ments in the volunteers, special re-
cruiting 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 thou
sand appointments made by the Pres
ident. the number of applications was
over $4,000 and each application was
accompanied by a certificate of ability,
and in most instances the military ser
vice. either in the regular army or a
State organization, and not infrequent-
III in both. It has been stated. and
repeated many times. that the Secre-
tary OF War made these appointments,
when the truth is that very few were
made upon his recommendation. al
though he caused the entire list with
the recommendation to be compiled and
placed before thee President for his
selection.
Il would be only too glad to have
had the honor to have made these ap-
pointments. No better, no more loyal
or more patriotic set Of men as q whole
ever served their country and their APP
pointments were a credit, not only TO
the appointing power, but to the coun-
try they served. There were excep-
tons. but that could not have been
foreseen.
Criticisms as to the amounts and
methods OF expenditures which could
imply the wrong or careless use Of
money 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 trlthfully.
and no one can ever show that a dol
lar was Incorporated, stolen or EN-
bezzled. out Of the hundreds OF millions