The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-08-01
Alger Still Has Complaints of News
paper Criticisms.
MAKES HIS LAST PROTEST
OF OFFICERS IN
VOLUNTEER ARMY.
Makes Long Explanation Showing
That the Blame That Has Been
Placed Upon Him Was Undeserv-
ed-He Invites An Investigation
of His Official Acts.


official acts of Secretary Alger who,
tomorrow, will relinquish his portfolio,
was to prepare a statement covering
several matters regarding the conduct
OF the war which have been the sub
ject of criticism in the public press,
particularly with reference to the ap-
pointment of staff officers in the voIun-
teer army. The statement follows:
| Il am lea to make the following
statements on account of the many crit
icisms which have been made by the
public press, especially on account of a
recent article which appeared in the
London Times, containing assertions
which have no foundation in truth.
cat 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
imum number of officers prescribed by
law. The situation may be partially ap-
preciated when it is remembered that
within sixty days from the declaration
OF war, the strength of the army was
increased to $1,000, and everything for
the equipment of this great force, in
Guiding clothing, tents, transportation,
medical supplies, camps and camp
equippage, and all that pertains TO
equipping an army for service, had to
be manufactured, transported and dis
tributed 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 with
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 var
ious states, the officers of which were
all appointed exclusively by the govern
ors of the respective states from which
the regiments came, and any officer
found untitled for service and dis
charged was replaced by another in the
same manner. The president had no
voice nor control in the matter.
Force of the Volunteers.
''The returns of the volunteer army
show that in August, 1898, there were
207,244 enlisted men and s. 05 officers
in those regiments. This, with the reg
ular army, recruited up to the war
strength, made an aggregate force of
about 275,000 officers and men. The vol
unteer officers appointed by the preSi-
dent number, all told, 1,O32. OF this
number AL were taken from the regu-
lar army and 591 from civil life. The
scarcity of regimental officers in the
regular service, owing to appointments
in the volunteers. special recruiting and
mastering details, had so reduced their
number that TO have taken a larger
number for service with the volunteers
would have seriously impaired the eff
cheney of the regular regiments. :.
For a little over 1000 appointments
made by the president, the number of
applications was over $4,000, and each
application was accompanied by a GER
tificate of his ability, and in most in
stances the military service, either in
the regular army or state organization,
and not infrequently in both. These
certificates showed that each one was
as well qualified for the position he |
sought and to which he was appointed. A.,
as could be possible for men in civil |
life in this country.
"Of the number appointed there were. |
for instance. twenty-siX major generals, !
of whom nineteen were taken from the |
regular army, and but seven from
civil life. OF these seven all but one 1
were graduates of West Point military |
academy, and all had distinguished |
themselves in command during the civil !
war.
'Of the brigadier generals there were
seventy-two appointed, sixty-siX 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 command.
Alger Made Few Appointments.
1T has been stated and repeated
M n n ff11n H1r
made these appointments, when the
truth is that very few were made upon
MS recommendation, although he
,aused the entire list, with the recon-
nendations, to be compiled and placed
before the president for his selection.
would be only too glad TO have had
he honor to have made these appoint
nents- No better, no more loyal or
more patriotic set of men, as a whole.
ever served their country. and their ap-
continents were a credit. not only to
he appointing power, but to the coun-
ry they served
There were exceptions, but that
,ould not have been foreseen. In every
walk of life men are found who can
lot carry out satisfactorily the work
hey have undertaken. There We're three
'egiments of cavalry, the officers of
which were appointed by the secrtary
If war. Colonel Leonard Wood. now a
general and commanding the
departments of Santiago and Puerto
Principe, was one of these Colonel
iriggsby and Colonel Torrey. both good
'fficers, were the other two. There were
hree regiments of engineers, the colo
lels of which were all graduates of the
military academy, and not only the
'fficers, but the enlisted men, We're Sc
ected with view to their special fit
less, and in most instances upon the
Communications of the colonies them
elves, and all proved themselves most
fficient
Says Charges Are False.
There were also ten regiments of
immune infantry, of whose colonies
light were graduates of the military
academy, who were selected for snecAa1