New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-23

sprrng I'D called staff. more cumorous even th@n
the English system. The intriguers are not al
extinct by any means yet this InohstrouS
scheme Of how not to do a thing, when renoers
our Army almost helpless In time OF war mas
been so long in vogue that critics speak OF its
incapacities and faillngs as those OF the sys-
tenn" rather than OF individuals
System means the method by which the stan
brigadler.general runs his own bureau in its
personnel administrative features ana expehu'-
lures as he pleases despite all other authority,
and sometimes even in disregard OF law ltseii'
This he will inevitably do by hook or crook-by
ignoring overreachlng, wheedling or bulldozing
anybody who would stand in his way, even the
Secretary himself
Such. then. is the system OF whose insidious
novver and intrigue and total Administrative I'M
notence we catch fugitive glmpses through the
Inquiries of the War Investigating Commission
and tho explosion of Eagan. Summed up this Is
what we see: Ten or a dozen bureau oftcers'
wholly independent Of each other but bound TO-
pether bv identical interests. cunningly profess
ing profound respect and subordinatloh 10
great Department. yet in fact It's mas'e'S'
and totally irresponsible to 1t. Neither 90 lhey
acknowledge any military superior. lne%orao'S
controlling the whole machinery Of the military
establishment they have neVer'heIeSS ~
bedeed themselves about with buffers ana go
hetweens that when the system buhders' Vi
great disaster befas, it is found next 10 itnpos-
sible TO fix the responsibility by tracing II 10 i''
source The official inquisition now in progress
and Earan's outburst have emphasized THESE
facts.
THE sECRETARYs HELPLEssNEss'
The incoming raw civilian Secretary OF war
docs not know these things. He believes he Is
yneetine frank. straightforward gentlemen Win
out euile when he begins official intercourse
with the heads Of these several stan bureaus
Nor unfortunately in the nature OF things can
he know much of the technical requirements Oh
his Office The strongest of men would De iarse-
" at the mercy Of these STAFF chiefs intent ohiy
unon the system" II he attempts the directing
rola tbev at once cunnngy lay snares Tor hin'
and TO use common bureau phrase, "Trip MN
up" But If he be weak man an - easy .h III
almost Immediately nsensibly fails uhuer Inel
watchful sway and OF that tremendous thiIs
known as precedent, which they use with p'o
found cunning IT, hrraous
&c often brought into crafty play to determine
the choice Of the very superior TO wnom alone
they WELD the form of a hollow, hooking opeGi-
ence In making up Cabinets II has come 10 ne
something Of a desideratum to select a secretary
OF War who will not "antagonlze the DePalt
ment" otherwise the ten brlgadlers ana one
machinery.
The directors of our staff system have com
peted their work Of subjugation. ana become
practically absolute. The Secretary or war is
no longer q free civilian agent of the Admins
tration to which he belongs. lie merely regis
ters the decisions of the system.
Secretiveness and mystery are the guardians
Of the system 4 most heinous OFFENCE Is COM
rnitted against the whole body polite when any
departmental matter which the Secretary or
head Of bureau does not give out percolates
Civilian subordlnates have been summary re-
moved for inadvertently leaking. Thus the war
Department, terrorzed as IL were, Is Nerltaple
terra incognta 10 the newspaper reporters, max
ing it difficult for the public 10 come at the true
state Of facts concerning any given matter
The system hates the press and fears its power
1t cannot stand the glare of publicity.
PUBLICITY DEPRECATED.
General Eagan significantly voiced the system
when he announced that 1T is crime to purloln
the Governments secrets" BY Government
the staff always means itself. No matter now
much incompetence may be concealed IN the
DEPARTMENT how much extravaganza may pre-
vail what terrible blunders may be COM
mitted by and in the name Of these stan pu-
reaus, the press and public must not know VI
discuss it. 1t is only occasionally that an Easan
tramples down all restraints, throws cau'ioh
to the winds, and puts the naked system III
public evidence. =.
Cautious self-assertion is the great card OF
in his commission or position under the law OF
regulations TO send reprimands to ME-. SHOUTS
the exasperated Commssary General, with
strong rising infection. And truly enough, no
doubt If their official relations had been diff
ferent-had Eagan been Miles's subordinate, as
he ought to have been-the disgracetul Eagan
incident would never have occurred; Easah
would still be Co umissary General of the Army,
and not an officer out Of a job, and in black DIS
grace But under the system ii was obligatory
on Eagans part to resent the assumption at once
that Miles had even a shadow Of authority over
the Commissary- General, or right TO criticise
his official acts 1t was accordingly resented In
q manner most BETTING the official atmosphere
in which was embosomed the bureau chlef VINO
deemed his honor impugned.
STAFF INDEPENDENCE.
Asserting their own pre-eminence, or protest.
ing against somebody's authority. It does not
matter much whose or what interest may be
ieopardzed is the most critical and constant
employment OF those staff chiefs. I'm colonel.'
Is the refrain Of one. in season and out So
and-so cannot give ME any orders." Is OCCASION
ally shouted In variation. They never steep
upon their prerogative. IL is the rock on which
our military fabric splits.
When they cannot fight the line or outsiders
they engage among themselves They evlnce an
almost fendlsh delight in obstructing and
thwarting each other in the performance OF Off
cial duties whenever opportunity offers, even
to the sacrifice Of the public interests. short
while ago all the meats in Havana were ordered
inspected from Washington. The local COM
missary Lieutenant Colonel Smith, overlooking
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