Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-08-03
A DEFENCE
Sec. Alger Replies to Charges
Made Against His Ad-
ministration.
The VOLUNTEER OFFICERS
We're Mostly Appointed by the Governors
of tho states and He Was Not Response.
Bile for Their Choice --Spenks High
Jy of Their work-Chailenges
Proof of Dishonesty.

:
fetal acts of Secretary Alger, who to-mor-
row will reliquish his portfolio, was to
prepare statement covering several mat
tiers regarding the conduct of the war
which have been the subject of criticism
in the public press, particularly with re-
ference to staff officers in the Volunteer
Army. The statement follows
ii am led to make the following state
ments on account OF the many criticisms
which have been made by the public press,
and especially on account of recent ar
tiCle which appeared in the London Times,
containing assertions which have no foun-
dalton in truth.
AT the commencement of the war with
SPAIN and for several years prior to that
time, the regular army consisted of only
1000 men, with the minimum number of
officers prescribed by law. The situation
can be partially appreciated when it is re-
membered that Within sixty days from
the declaration of war the strength of the
army was increased to 275.0o0 men, and
everything for the equipment of this
great force, including clothing, tents,
transportation, medical supplies, camps,
and camp equipment. and all that pertains
to equipping an army for service. had to
be manufactured, transported and distri
huted for use.
From the statement referred to the pub
lie might be led to believe that the volun-
teer army was Differed by men selected
tary of war by special favor and without
any regard to fitness for the duties they
We're to perform. AS is well known, the
volunteer forces, with the exception of
three regiments of engineers, three regi-
ments of cavalry, anil ten regiments of
immune infantry. were made up Of regi-
ments from the various states. the officers
of which were all appointed exclusively by
the governors of the respective State from
which the regiments came, and any officer
found untitled for service and discharged
was replaced by another in the same man
ner. The President had no voice or con-
. troll in the matter.
THE Ceturns of the volunteer army
show that ia August, 1898. there were H'7 =
24i enlisted men and S7S5 officers in those
regime ns This, with the regular army
recruited up to the war strength made an
aggregate force of about 2i5,CO0 officers
and men. The volunteer officers appoint
ed by the President numbered, all told 1892
of this number AL were taken from the
regular army and sol from civil life. The
scarcity of regimental officers in the reg
ular service, owing to appointments in the
volunteers mastering details had so re-
duced their number that to have taken a
larger number for service with the volun-
, teers would have seriously impaired the
! efficiency of the regular regiments For Il
little over a thousand appointments made
by the President, the number of applica-
: was acco Impaired by certificate OF his
ability and in most instances the military
service, either n the regular or a State
organization and rot hfrequently in both.
I These certificates showed that each enc
I was as well qualified for the position he
sought and to which he was appointed as
could be possible for men n civil life IN
this country. OF the number appointed
: there we're, for instance. &c major scner-
ais, of whom ~ were taken from the regu-
T. lar army and seven from civil life OF
I these seven all but one wero graduates OF
West Point military academy, and all had
| distinguished themselves in command dur
ing the civil war. OF brigader generals
there were 02 appointed, Sc from the reg
] ular army and 80 from civil life. Those
frCn. civil life had all seen set'Vice during
the civil war or on our Western frontier,
and all had proven themselves competent
I TO command.
ut has been stated, and repeated many
times, that the secretary of war made
these appointments when the truth Is that
livery few were made upon his recommcsl-
dalton, although he caused the entire list
. with the recommends tions to be compiled
. | and placed before the President for his
- | selection. ! would be only too glad &c
'. ! have had the honor to have made these
appointments No better, no more loyi
, or more patriotic set of men rs a who'll
= ever served their country and their APP
. pOintments were a credit not only to the
. | appointing power but to the country they
: served. There were exceptions, but thai
. could not have been foreseen. In ever>
=, walk of life men are found who cannot
- carry out successfully the work they have
= undertaken. There were three regiment.
!. of cavalry. the officers of which were APP
u pointed by the secretary of war. Col
- Leonard Wood, now a brigadier general
and commanding the departments of San
:, tiago and Puerto Principe, one q
" these. Col. Grigsby and Col Torrey, botf
good officers. were the other two. There
:, were three regiments of engineers, the col
\ onels of which were all graduates of thu
" military academy and not only the Of
fcers but the enlisted men were selecte,
. with view TO their special fitness ant
- ian most instances upon the recommends
:, tons of the colonies themselves, and al
=, proved themselves most efficient.
= There were also ten regiments of i'm
mune Infantry, of which colonies eigh
. We're graduates of the military academ!
) who weCe selected for special fitness t.
ccmmand and in the short time thes
70 regiments were ian service developed re
markable proficiency.
id CRITICISMS as to the amounts and meth
@ DDS of expenditures which could imply tn
M wrong or careless use of money We're ais
IS made by the London Times. This charG
is false. So far the conduct of The ser
ID vice was concerned, 10 person with an,
IN knowledge of the facts can ever charg
in tiuthfu!ly, and no one can ever show tina
g a dollar was Incorporated, stolen o
ar embC2Z,ed. out of the hundreds of million
er of dollars that We're expended. The rec
I'd Ords aCc AN oren book, and ] will be gla,
err To have Thorn rigidly examined and ask IN,
Of successor to open those accounts to tn
rs country whenever properly called for. II
At order that the entire truth may be known
Mt (SigiedD r. A. ALGER,
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