The Mena star., 1899-08-03
ALCER'S STATEMENT.
The Outgoing Secretary of War Re
 plies to Certain Criticisms.
HE MADE FEW ARMY APPOINTMENTS
Not a Dollar of Money Misappropfla:cd or EmbezzIed Out of the Millions That Were Expended by His
 Department.

WaSnlngJOn, Aug. l.-One Of the last official acts of Secretary Alger, who to- day relinquished his portfolio, was to prepare a statement covering several matters regarding the conduct of the war which have been the subject of crit icism in the public press, particularly with reference to the appointment of staff officers in the volunteer army The statement follows:
 Tam led to make the following statements on account of the many criticisms which have been made by the public press and especially account of recent article which appeared in the London Times containing assertions which have no foundation in truth. At the commencement of the war with Spain and for several years prior to that time the regular army consisted of only 25.0)J men, with the minimum number of officers prescribed by law. The situation will be partially appreciated when it is remembered that, within 60 days from the declaration of war, the strength of the army was increased to 275,0JO and everything for the equipment of this great force, including clothing tents transportation, medical sup plies, camps and camp equlpage and all that pertains to equipping army for service had to be manufactured, transported and distrib- uted for use.
 The returns of the volunteer ar ny show that in August, 1898, there were 27,.4l enlisted men and S,7S5 officers in those regiments This, with the regular army recruited up to the war strength, made an aggregate force of about 275,- 000 officers and men. The volunteer officers ap- pointed by the president number. all told l,03l of this number Al were taken from the re gular army and 59l 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 1orex .tx,r 4l the volunteers would have seriously impaired the efficiency of the regular regiments. For a little over 900 appointments nude by the pres- 1dent, the number of applications was oyer 25,000 and each application was accompanied bya certificate of his ability, and in most instances the military service, either in the regular army or state organization, and not infrcquently in both. These certificates showed that each one was as well qualified for the position he sought and to which he was appointed us could be pos sible for men in civil life in this country. Of the number appointed there wefe, for instance, 26 major generals, of whom l9 were taken from the regular army and seven from civil life. Of these seven all but one were graduates of West Point military academy, and all had distin- guished themselves in command during the civil war. Of brigadier generals there were l02 appointed, 66 from the regular army and s6 from civil life. These from civil life had all seen service during the civil war or on our vest
 
 competent to command
 It has been stated and repeated many times that the secretary of war made these appoint- ments, when the truth is that very few were made upon his recommendation, although he caused the entire list, with the recommenda- tions, to be compiled and placed before the president for his selection. would be only too glad to have had the honor to have made these appointments. No better. no more loyal or patriotic set of men, q whole, ever served their country and their appoint ments were credit, not only to the appointing power but to the country they served. There were excep- tons, but that could not have bee foreseen In every walk of life men are found who cannot carry out satisfactorily the work they have un- dertalen
 There were three regiments of cavalry, the officers of which were appointed by the secre- tary of war. Col. Leonard Wood, now briga- dier general and commanding the departments of Santiago and Puerto Principe. one of these. Col Grigsby and Col. Torrey, both good officers, were the other two. There were three regiments of engineers, the colonels of which were all graduates of the military academy, and not only the officers, but the enlisted men were selected with q view to their special fitness, and in most instances upon the recommendations o1 the colonels themselves and all proved them selves most efficient. There were also ten reSi- ments of immune infantry, of whose colonels eight were graduates of the military academy, who were selected for special fitness to com mand and in the short time these regiments were in service developed remarkable prof. ciency.
 Criticisms as to the amounts and methods Of expenditures which could imply the wrong or careless use of money were also made by the London Times This charge Is false. So far as the conduct of the service was concerned, no person with any knowledge of the facts can ever charge truthfully, and no one can ever show. thata dollar was misappropriated, stolen or embedded. out of the hundreds of millions Of dollars that were expended. The records are an open book. and I will be glad to have them rigidly examined and ask my successor to open those accounts to the country whenever prop erly called for in orocr that the entire truth may be known
 K. A. ALGER, Secretary of War. Washington, July 5l, lSge.