Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-04-14
WHAT DOES 1T MEAN?
The Wild Rush of Thousands for Small
Appointments.


Twenty thousand applications for
position as second lieutenant in the
army, sixty thousand applications for
the various commissions in the volun-
teer army at the disposal Of the presi-
dent What does it mean? asks the
Silver Knight Waterman. Does II
mean that the chances for young men
in the business world have disappeared
and that position in the army where
a young man can draw salary from
the government promises more secur-
Hy for the future than can be found IN
civil pursuits, or does 1t mean that the
martial spirit has beset our people SO
that our young men are carried away
with dreams of glory and renown won
on future fields of carnage?
The fact that twenty thousand ap-
plications have been made to President
Mckinley in a period of less than two
weeks for a commission as second
lieutenant in the army is calculated TO
cause thoughtful men to ponder well
it's meaning Under the army Dill
passed in the closing days OF congress
the president has the appointment OF
one hundred and one second lieuten-
ants. Immediately upon the passage OF
the bill congressman and senator's were
deluged with letters from their consu-
tuents soliciting their influence to Sc
cure appointments. The presence OF
senators and members of congress al
the white house and war department
during the past two weeks would
cause stranger in Washington to for
get that congress had adjourned and to
mistake the white house for the cap
itol.
1t has been the glory and pride OF
the United States for more than cen
fury that all the avenues of wealth
and distinction were open to all, and
that industry and prudence, coupled
with ability, were the unerring pass
ports to success. The term "self-made
man" has ever been the proudest ap-
pellation that could be applied to those
who assembled from the lowest to the
highest round of the ladder in the bust
ness and professional walks of life.
Down to the present there has never
been a time when American parents
sought positions for their sons in the
army. In fact, to seek position In
the army in time of peace, except
through the regular channel of a mill
tary education at West Point, has moi
been considered dignified and hardly
respectable.
In the event of wars such as have oc
Cured in our history the bravest ant
truest Americans have freely entered
into their country's service as volun
teers. AS such, advancement in ranl
has always carried with it honor, ant
titles earned by our volunteers in cam
paigns have ever been borne by then
with pride, and they have been justly
regarded as a distinction by the peo
pie In general 1t has also been a jus
caSGe of pride among our people tina
upon the return of peace the soldier
became a citizen; that officer and pri
vate alike gladly laid aside the insig
MIA of physical force, and the soldier
disappeared, merged into the mass o
citizenship.
What is the peculiar condition exist
ing at this time that causes such mao
rush to secure positions in the army
Last year it was righteous war tt
liberate the people Of a neighborint
island from the CALLING yoke of an in
human master The crisis of last yea
is fortunately passed and all Ameri
cans rejoice in the valor and achieve
ments of our soldiers on land and sea
The best possible sign of the times wa!
that as soon as it became evident tina
our volunteers were not longer needed
universal inconsistencies spread ovel
every camp, and our volunteers becam,
impatient to return to their homes
when they were no longer needed fol
active service at the front.
Soldiers are now needed to either dc
garrison duty in Cuba and Porto Rice
or to participate in an unholy and un.
authorized war of conquest in the far.
off islands of the sea. What is there
about either of these that is attractive
to the young men who are seekin,
these commissions in the army. or tt
their parents and friends who ar,
soliciting the president to appoin
them? 1t cannot be the possibility O
advancement to higher positions O
rank, because, in the first place, the in
crease in the army is only temporary
as under the law the term of all en-
listments, except the $1,000 men who
constitute the permanent army, will
expire July 1, 1901. In the SECOND
place, these volunteer officers canno
hope to be advanced in view of tn,
fact that the government must pro
vide positions for the regularly edu
Gated officers from West Point who ar,
educated at the expense of the gov
eminent and especially fitted for a mil
itary career and whose lives are dedi
Gated to that line of service.
No, it cannot be the hope of advance
ment, No sensible man believes there
&c tho 1aoct reason To bopa that o,,o,