The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-31
PLUMSOF UNCLESAMS ARMY
RACE BETWiEN THE MEN VINO ARE
KLIGIBLE TO REChIVE THIN.

ment-How Death Robbed Lawton OF
the Highest uonors In His Profession.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.-Whcn Gen. LAYTON
was killed the proper office In the War Department
was engaged in making out his commission as a
Brgadicr- General In the regular army. This
would have taken him out OF the staff department
and changed his status in the military establish
ment entirely. putting him In line for promotion
by seniority to the very highest grade. Byther re-
tirement of his seniors, had he lived he would have
become one Of three Major .Generalsin the regular
army on July 81. 1902. An examination Of tho
dates Of retirement Of regular officers dscloses
the fact that Major-Cens Merritt and Brooke
! and Brig Gems. Otis, Merriam and Anderson
all retire between now and that date. MniorGcn.
I Merritt aud Brig. Gen. Anderson retire in 1900;
| Gen. Merriam retircs ON Nov. ID, 1901; Gen. Otis
| on March IS 1909: Gen. Brooke on July 81, 1902.
Gen. Merriu's retirement. june 10. 1900 will
| make a place for Otis as a Maior-Gcncral In tho
regular establishment unless the President de-
| sircs TO promote somebody else who has performed
more distinguished services, which might happen
| In time of war But although there IL no statute
y governing promotions by right Of seniority above
the rank OF Colonel that principle has tccn gcnCr-
ally adhered 10 in promotions TO the rank OF Gem
! erai during times Of peace and as the Philippine
| war is apparently drawing TO a close there Is
| not likely meanwhile TO arise any occasion for
| ovrrslaughink a m"ritpriOus commander like
| Otis with one Of his Juniors more particularly
| as the change ~ so close. being only SIX months
| hence. Therefore, should Otis succeed Merritt,
| which now seems certain. Merriam will never
become Major General, except through some
| unexpected vacancy. because the next vacancy
In regular order will be caused by the retirement
| Of Otis himself, which will occur on March 90
1902, whereas unfortunately for Merriam. tho
latter's retirement comes on Nov. IL, 1901, four
| months earlier
| Gen. Otiss elevation TO the highest grade next
| June will leave Wade the senior Brigadicr General
Gen Shaitrr having been retired "a brigaiirr
| In the regular establishment, although he remains
In the active service AZ a Major General u Nolun-
tccrs II is reasonable TO expect that Wade, in
| due course, will succeed Otis as Major General
on March %, 1902. Whdc's promotion Merriam
and Anderson having meanwhile been RETIRED
would have left Gen. Lawtun at the head Of tho
list Of BrigadieT g cnerais, and ~. then, when
Gen. John r. Brooke retired July 2l 1902.
Iawton would have become the junior Major
General by right II seniority to say nothing Of
his merits Meanwhile, IL must be remembered
tina, on able. energetic an bold man like LAYTON
might et any moment have performed some
great service which would have forced his pro-
motion ahead Of that Of either Otis or Wade.
The next retirement among the general officers.
and the mos, i'm pOrtant Of all to ambitious juniors
will be that Of MAO Gen. Nelson A. Miles, tho
Commanding General Of the army. lie will he
O. years old on Aug. 8. 1903 When that event
, occurs the Presidents first appuintec TO all
of the two vacancies existing viii be the senior
Briradicr G rncrnl and in immediate line for pro-
motion to the vacant major generally caused by
Mrss retirement Hence, who gets there"
FIRST is obviously a matter Of great moment 10 tho
eNpcctant ones throughout the army, because
brigadicrs star now carries With II a measurable
certainty oi the double star Of n Major. General
In about three years. After that date 1t will
probably he three four years before another
vacnncy occurs in the grade Of Major General.
Il has been stated that L,awton, comparatively
young officer, would Amos, certainly have
arrived al the command Of the army had he lived
TO receive his bFlgadcrs commission now. II
APPEARS however, that l.awton's retirement
would have occurred on March lie 1907. whereas
Wade. who would in the natural order have been
his senior as Major General and by consequence,
the next Commanding General after Miles's To-
uremcnL docs not retire until April II. 1907 or
nearly a month after Lawton. In other words
LAYTON would have been out OF the active nc
wee ere the senior major gcneralcy was vacant
There Is and has been big struggle gong
on for these vacant bngadier-grneralcies. It's
warmth will no, be decreased by the fact tina,
tie frs, man appointed now, unless age re,rcs
him ere the vacancy occurs wM almost surely
become Commanding General Of the army in even
years pc'hnIS sooner ana 'ctnihiy Major
, General IN " H''e over wv" years " mas neer
, inc p"'"'e III ''''h' years " p'onoo ou aho
, m'''"''"uS "i"'e'S " INC RANK OF "ehetHI OH
VIC eve "' mo't ''u'emch,, perhaps on pn'al'
agreement OF u'"efs'anuihE 'ha' h'F "oHl'
a f'u'o 30 p'om"'ou' anu WuS mn"e way 10
4 announcer fof instance hamilton .. HAWKINS
1 ,","ne III VIC 'r'n,nnen' oShU'S"tneht ah'
. Nou''e' "'"c'n' VIM nnu u'NuhHuishou MN
A s''' III 'una' way p."mo'en l" us vacant o'Sa
n H'etH'hh'ai'' on Dep" 90 1890 ana feure'
on o'| D. having oech regular ohEhhief Les
a man week. ne 'euren AZ ms own request
i perm'%'Mo oS "a" n'~r io'N years service
a Now 'oi' HAWKINS "ouiu nave oeeh forced INT
II Ieufshr" ny nse On nov To- moh'h 'ae'
d nh"p'ious 'hh' mere was Soric.n'hg ~ INC h"'ut
oil deal u" give ms hho OLD "n''er mefitc
. promn'"h ana some auuiuohai 'cu'eu pay Again
"heh Ten Ha"k'hs ,eu'c', 'o'' hoh' anolhe