Evening star., 1899-07-05
Question Of Army Appointments Be-
fore the Cabinet.
How COMMISSIONS WILL BE ALLOTTED
Callers Upon the President This
Morning.
THE PRESSURE FOR PLACE

Secretary Wilson and Postmaster General
Smith were absent from the session of the
cabinet held today. There was no meeting
of the Presidents official family yesterday
and the session was postponed until today.
The question of former Spanish rights in
Cuba and Porto Rico was discussed at
some length, as was also the subject Of Sc
lecting officers for the new regiments to be
organized for the Philippines. 1t was said
at the cabinet meeting that the plan of Sc
lecting officers will be to take the best men
to be found on the rolls of the War Depart
ment, the selections being from among
those who served in the war with Spain.
The selections will also be made without
political influence cutting any figure
At the close of the cabinet meeting Secre-
tary Alger said that consideration of ap-
pointments of officers for the increased
army would be begun this afternoon.
Seeking Military Commissions.
The War Department and White House
were visited by number of persons seek
Ing places in the new regiments. number
of the members of the Georgia delegation
in Congress have obtained a promise that
Lieutenant Colonel Spence will be given a
commission as colonel or lieutenant colonel
Colonel Spence was lieutenant in the reg
ular army, and at the charge of San Juan
hill was badly wounded. When the Sd
Georgia Volunteers were mustered into ser
vice Lieutenant Spence was made Heuten-
ant colonel OF that regiment and remained
In that position until the regiment was
must out some time ago. after doing
service in Cuba for months.
Senator McLaurin of South Carolina saw
the President today regarding the appoint
ment OF officers for the Increased army. The
President said that he intends to divide the
appointments among the different states by
giving captain and first lieutenant to each
al Tau
ABOVE that of captain will be appointed
from the regular army. The second lieu
tenants will be picked from among men
VINO have good records for service in Cuba
or the Philippines. The better a mans rec
ord, either as private or officer, the better
his chance of appointment.
After a Lieutenant's Commission.
At the White House today was young
man with a fine record. He is seeking a
Eeutenancy on his merits and is not bring
ing political pressure. He will get to see
the President The young man is Edward
O'Flaherty of Occur d. Alene Idaho. now
a temporary clerk in the War Department.
flaherty was one of the heroes of San
Juan hill. He had served ten years In the
regular army at the beginning of the war
with Spain and was a sergeant of Company
h, in the 10th Infantry. The captain and
neutenants of O'F1aherty's company were
Killed or wounded in the early part of the
San Juan fight and Sergeant O'Flaherty led
the center platoon of the regiment in the
charge to the summit of the hill. He and
his men had passed the summit of the hill
When fragment of shrapnel struck Ser
geant OFlaherty in the breast, inficting
What were thought to be mortal wounds
OFlaherty was at one time the champion
sharpshooter of the United States army
He won the championship in 1894, defeating
Lieutenant Gregg, who was recently killed
in the Philippines
OFlaherty's friends believe he deserves
a commission in the Philippine army.