The record-union., 1899-08-01
During Balance Of Administration Elihu
Root VIII Severn War Department.
The Retiring Secretary Makes
Statement Covering Several
Matters Regarding the Conduct
of the War Which Have Been
the Subject Of Criticism in the
Public Press.

WASHINGTON, July 31-One of
the last acts of Secretary Alger, who
tomorrow will relinquish his portfolio,
was to prepare 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 APP
pointment of staff officers in the volun-
teer army. He says:
L am led to make the following state
ments on account of the many criti-
cisms which have been made by the
public press, especially on account OF
recent article which appeared in the
London Times containing assertions
which have no foundation in truth.
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 regard to the fit
ness for the duties they were to per-
form. AS is we'll known. the volun-
teer force, with the exception of three
regiments of engineers. three regiments
or cavalry and ten regiments of inn
mune Infantry, was made up of regi-
ments from the various States. the
officers of which were all appointed
| exclusively by the Governors of the
respective States from which the regi-
ments came, and any officer found I'M
| fitted for service was discharged and
replaced by another in the same man
ner. The President had no voice or
control in the matter
| The volunteer officers appointed by
the President number, all told, 1882
OF this number AL were taken from
the regular army and 591 from civil
life. The scarcity of regimental Off
GERS in the regular service, owing to
| appointments in the volunteers, spe-
clal recruiting and mastering details,
had SO reduced their number that to
have taken large number for service
with the volunteers would have seri-
ously impaired the efficiency of the reg
ular regiments. For a little over 1000
appointments made by the President
| the number of applications was over
10000, and each application was ac-
companied by certificate of his abil-
| ity and in most instances the military
service, either in the regular army or
! State organizations, and not infre.
quently in both. The certificates show
ed that each one was as well qualified
for the position he sought, and to which
he was appointed, as could be possible
| for men in civil life in this country.
OF the number appointed there were,
for instance, twenty-six Major Gen
erals, of whom nineteen We're taken
from the regular army and seven from
civil life. OF those seven, all but one
We're graduates of West Point Military
Academy and all had distinguished
themselves in command during the
Civil War.
"Of the Brigadier Generals there
were seventytwo appointed, thirty-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.
ut has been stated and repeated
many times that the Secretary Of War
made these appointments, when the
truth is that very few were made upon
his recommendation, although he
caused the entire list, with the recon-
mendations, to be compiled and placed
before the President for his selection
airy, the officers of which were APP
pointed by the Secretary of War Coli
onel Leonard Wood now a Brigad;er
| General, and commanding the Depart
ments of Santiago and Puerto Principe.
was one of these. Colonel Grigsby AMI
Colonel Torrey, both good officers, were
the other two. There were three regi-
ments of engineers. the Colonies Of
o1, l,,o faC of ho
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 recommended
lions of the Colonies themselves, and
/ all proved themselves most efficient
There were also ten regiments of
immune infantry. of whose Colonies
eight We're graduates of the military
academy, who were selected for spe-
cial fitness to command and in the
short time these regiments were in
service, developed remarkable pro-
| ficiency.
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
DIS Tie CONDUCT VI lHe service WAS coIi-
| cerned, no person with any knowledge
| of the facts can ever charge truth
fully, and no one can ever show that q
dollar was Incorporated, stolen or
embezzled out of the hundreds of mill
lions of dollars that were expended
The records are an open book. and 1
will be glad to have them rigidly ex-
amined and ask my successor to open
those accounts to the country, when
ever properly called for, in order tina.
the entire truth may be known.
''R. A. ALGER,
Secretary of War.
| washington, D. c., July 81, 1899
| n,~o.Sor+rv Match Postuoued.