New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-01
ALGER DEFENDS HIMSELF.
o1TTGOING SECRETARY REPLIES TO
NEWSPAPER CRITICISM.
MENTs WERE MADE THROUGH PoLITI-
CAL. INFLUENCE. AND THAT NO
MONEY WAS WRONG
FULLY USED.

arts Of Secretary Alger. who will relnqush his
,ertfolio tomorrow, was 10 prepare a statement
covering several matters regarding the conduct
~ ,he war which have been the subject Of criti-
n,snn IN the press. particularly with reference to
the appointment u staff officers In the voun-
teer army
Il am led to make the following statement"
the Secretary says ION account of the many
criticisms which have been made by the public
rress and especially on account Of recent
article which appeared in The London Times
containing assertions which have no foundation
IN truth.
at the commencement OF the with
snain, and for several years prior to that time.
the Regular Army consisted of only 25.OOO men.
with the minimum number Of officers prescribed
ny law The situation can be partially appre-
e,ated when it is remembered that within sixty
davs from the declaration OF war the strength
q, the Army was Increased to 2750 900 men, and
everything for the equipment Of this great
force including clothing. tents, transportation.
medical supplies camps and camp equlpage'
and all that pertains 10 equppng an army for
service had to be manufactured, transported
and distributed for use
HOW APPOINTMENTS WE'RE MADE.
From the statement referred to the public
might he led to believe that the volunteer army
was oficered by men selected through political
influence by the Secretary Of War by special
,avor and without any regard to fitness for the
duties they were to perform. As is well known
,ba volunteer force with the exception OF thres
req,n,ents Of engineers. three regiments Oh cav
e,r,, and ten regiments Of immune infantry was
made ND Of regiments from the various states
the officers of which were all appointed eN-
c,usiyely by the Governors OF the respeo'iN'
States from which the regiments came ana any
o47cer found untitled for service ana uischai eeu
was replaced by another IN the same ina"".'
rb. President had no voice or controi IN 'he
matter. .,o.
.rho retur,s ~ the volunteer army show 'ha'
T. A,,,,,s, 1898 there were 207,244 enlisted men
and c 7S5 officers in those regiments lHiS WIN
tho Pepular Army recruited up 10 the war
strengtii made an aggregate force OF aoou'
Or 600 officers and men. The volunteer ol"Oe
annointed bv the President numbered all 'olu'
1892 OF this number 441 were taken 1rori' lhe
Regular Army and 591 from civil life. Inc
soorc,tv NJ reeimental officers in the Regular
service owing to appointments In the VoIuh-
teers. special recruiting and mastering details
had 80 reduced their number that 70 nave take"
a larger number for service with the volunteers
vcuId have seriously impaired the efficiency or
the Regular rssin,ents. For little over thou
sand appointments made. by the President the
number OF applications way over 25,OOO. ana
each application was accompanied by certin-
cate Of his ability. and in most instances the
military service either In the Regular Army
or a 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 as could be pos
sible for men in civil life in this country.
"Of the number appointed there were, for In
stance. 26 major generals. OF whom ID were
taken from the Regular Army and 7 from civil
life. OF these seven ali but one were graduates
Of the West Point Military Academy. and all had
distinguished Themselves in command during the
Civil War OF brigadier generals there were 1O2
appointed 66 from the Regular Army and 80
from civil life Those from civil life had all
Seen service during the Civil War or on our
Western frontier. and all had proved themselves
competent to command
VOLUNTEER OFFICERS PRAISED.
1T 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-
tons to be compiled and placed before the Pres
ident for his selection. l would be only too glad
TO have had the honor to have made these ap-
pointments No better no more loyal or more
patriotic set Of whole ever served
their country and their appointments were
credit not only TO the appointing power but 10
the country they served. There were excep-
tions but that could not have been foreseen'
In every walk of life are found who can
not carry out successfully the work they have
undertaken.
There were three regiments Of cavalry, the
officers Of which were appointed by the secre-
tarv Of War Colonel Leonard Wood now
t'gadier general and commanding the depart
nents Of Santiago and Puerto PRINCIPE; was ni' one
Of these Colonel Grigsby aid Colonel Iorrey'
both good officers were the other two lhere
were three regiments of engineers, the coionels
Of which were all graduates Of the Mlntary
Academy and not only the ofncers Dut the en-
listed men were selected with a view 10 thelr
special fitness and in most instances upon me
recommendations OF the colonels thenlseFe''
and all proved themselves most efnclent'
"Tbers vere also ten regiments OF immune
infantry ~ whose colonels eight were graduates
Of the Military Academy VINO WI 49, sbnrt
special fitness to command ana III 1a,,ainnad
time these regiments were III service
remarkable proficiency
NOT A DOLLAR wRONGFULLY Spent
Criticisms as to the amounts ano fne'noos
=. sv,erd,,,rAs which could imply the wrong
or careless use OF money were also mace oy
The London Times This charge Is iaise' 0o
far as the conduct OF the service was cohcerheu
M nerson with any knowledge Of the facts can
ever cbarge truthfully and no one can eSel
show that a dollar was misapproprlateu;; eto'o, %
or embezzled out OF the hundreds Of millions ra o.
dollars that were expended. the reco,os uo t,am
an omen hook and I will be glad TO nave 'nel, I'LL,
rgIhlv examined and ask my successor " oor -
those accounts to the country whenever propr, 'av
ly called for. in order that the entire u VA
be known. r. A. ALGER Secr9 600
Washington, d. c.. July 81 iooo'
INSPECTOR GENERALS STATUS f1AhD'
TO BE SUBJECT HEREAFTER TO ohDhH'
THE SECRETARY OF WAR
Washington. July 31.-Secre'ary As' ,o,arro,ned
ohr tO-daY deterIlnItt