The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1899-08-05
ALGER's GOODBYE
2 - : :. -
the RETIRING SECRETARY REPLIES
IS. 70: CRITICISMS

Rsxardihg Management Of the War.
Most 81 tho Statement Confined to Ap.
pointmsnta Of Volunteer Omcers-Few
Were Named by Him-Holds the DIFF.
'fsrsnt Governors Responsible tor Any
Mistakes in, That Line-Charses Re-
gardinT Careleas or Wrongful Gao Of
Money Pronounced False. # y
WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.-One of the
last official acts of Secretary Alger be-
fore relinquishing his portfolio was to
prepare statement covering several
matters regarding the conduct of the
war which have been the subject of
criticism in the public press, particu-
larly with reference to the appointment
of staff officers in the volunteer army.
After referring at some length to the
small standing army at the time of the
declaration of war and the immens.
work accomplished in increasing the
fighting force to 275, 900 men, the secre-
tary continues:
From the criticisms referred to the
public might be led to believe that the
volunteer army was oficered 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 we'll 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 various
states, the officers of which were all ap-
pointed exclusively by the governors of
the respective states from which the
regiments came. The volunteer officers
appointed by the president numbered.
all told, 1,O32. Of this number AL
were taken from the regular army and
sol from civil life. The scarcity of
regimental officers in the regular serv-
ice (holding appointments in the volun-
teers for the recruiting. and mastering
details) had so educed their number
that to have 't.ken larger number for
service with the volunteers would have
Seriously Impaired the Efficiency
of the regular regiments. For a little
over 1000 appointments made by the
president the number of applications
was over 25, 900, and each application
was accompanied by,a certificate of his
ability, and, in most instances, the
military service, either in the regular
army or state organization. and not
infrequently in both. OF the number
appointed there were, for instance, rs
major generals, of whom 10 were taken
from the regular army and from civil
life. OF these seven all but one were
graduates of West Point military acad-
emy and all had distinguished them
selves in command during the Civil
war. Of brigadier generals there were
102 appointed, 66 from the regular army
and 36 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. It has been stated and
repeated many times that the secretary
of war made these appointments, when
the truth is that very few were made
even upon his recommendation. al
though he caused the entire list. with
the recommendations, to be compiled
and placed before the president for his
information. would only have been
too glad to have had the honor of max
ing these appointments. No better or
more loyal set of men ever served their
country and their records were not only
a credit to the appointing power. but to
the country they served. There were
exceptions but that could not have been
foreseen. In every walk of life men
are found who cannot carry out salts.
factorily the work they have under
taken.
Regarding Expenditures.
"Criticisms as to the amounts and
methods of expenditures, which would
imply the wrong or careless use of
money, were also made. 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 that q dollar was misappropri-
ated, stolen or embezzled, out of the
hundreds of millions of dollars that
were expended.
"The records are an open book and
would be glad to have them rigidly ex-
amined and ask my successor to open
these accounts to the country whenever
properly called for in order that the en-