Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-08-03
ALGER,s STATEMENT.
shows FaIsity OF Charges Against His
Conduct of War Department.

+
II am led to make the following
statements on account of the many
criticisms which have been made by
the public press, and especially on ac-
count of the recent article which APP
peared in the London Times, contain
ing assertions which have no founda-
ton in truth.
AT the commencement of the war
with Spain, and several years prior to
that time, the regular army consisted
of only $4,000 men, with the minimum
number Of officers prescribed by law.
The situation can be partially appre-
ciated when 1t is remembered that
within sixty days from the declaration
of war the strength of the army was
increased to 275,000 men, and every
thing for the equipment of this great
force, including clothing, tents, trans
portation, medical supplies, camps and
camp equipage, and all that pertains
to equipping an army for service, had
to be manufactured, transported. and
distributed for use.
Governors Selected Ohlcers.
"From the statement referred to the
public might be led to believe that the
volunteer army was differed by men
Eselected through political influence by
| the secretary of war, by special favor,
Eand without any regard to fitness for
the duties they We're to perform.
As is well known, the volunteer
force. with the exception of three
regiments of engineers, three regi-
ments of cavalry, and ten regiments OF
immune infantry, was made up Of reg
iments from the various states, the Of
ticers of which were all appointed ex-
clusiyely by the governors of the re-
spective states from which the regi-
ments came, and any officer found un-
fitted for service and discharged was
replaced by another in the same man.
ner. The president had no voice or
control in the matter.
"1Nhe returns of the volunteer army
show that in August, 1898, there were
207,124 enlisted men and S,7S5 officers
in these regiments. This, with the reg
ular army recruited up to the war
strength. made an aggregate force of
about a75,000 officers and men. The
volunteer officers. appinted bv the pres
ident numbered, all told, 1902. Of this
number AL were taken from the regu-
lar army and sol from civil life.
Appointments by the President.
''Irhe scarcity of regimental officers
in the regular service, owing to APP
pointments in the volunteers and spe-
cial recruiting and mastering. details,
has so reduced their number that to
have taken,a larger number for service
with the volunteers would have seri-
ously impaired the efficiency OF the
regular regiments.
"For little over thousand APP
pointments made by the president, the
number of applications was over %, 900,
| and each application was accompanied
| by certificate of his ability, and in
| most instances his military service,
either In the regular army or state
organization, and not infrequently in
both. These certificates showed that
each one was as we'll qualified for the
| position he sought, and to which he
was appointed, as it is believed posi-
BILE for men in civil life in this country.
"Of the number appointed there
were, for instance, twepty-six major
from the regular army and seven from
were graduates of West Point Military
hud ulSHtsu
themselves in command during
| the civil war. OF brigadier
generals there were 1O2 APP
pointed. sixty-siN from the regular ar
my, and thirty-six from civil life.
Those from civil life had all seen SER
vice during the civil war or on our
western frontiers, and all had proven
themselves to be competent to com
mand.
AIger Named Few Officers.
"It has been stated and repeated ma
| ny times that the secretary OF war
made these appointments. when the
truth is that very few We're made upon
his Recommendation although he caus-
ed the eptire lists with the recoinmen-
dations to be compiled and placed be-
| fore the president for his selection,
II would be only too glad to have
had the honor to have made these APP.
| IT, ntmeuts. No better, more loyal, al
more patriotic set of men, as Il whole
Fever served their country, and their
appointments were credit, not only
to the appointing power, but to the
country they served, There were ex,
ceptions, but that could not have been
| foreseen. In every walk of life mer
are found who cannot carry out suc.