Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1899-08-10
ALGER answers CRITICS
Shows Clearly the Falsity Of the.
Charges Against His Conduct
Of War Department
they WERE MADE BY LONDON TIMES.
Statements connnedt to Army Appoint-.
tments and Expenditure Of Money.
Upholds President llcEEinley's Sc.
lections-Denies Misuse Of Money
and Iavites Inspection.

Washington, Aug. 1.-One of Secre--
tary Ayers last official acts was to pre-
pare statement covering several mat
ters regarding the conduct Of the war
which have been the subject of criti-
cism in the public press, particularly
with reference to the appointment Of
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 a recent ar
ticle which appeared in the London Times.
containing assertions which have no foun--
dation in truth.
''At the commencement of the war with.
Spain and for several years prior to that
time the regular army consisted OF only
5000 men. with the minimum number Of
officers prescribed by law. The situation,
can be partially appreciated when it is re-
membered that within 60 days from the,
declaration of war the strength Of the
army was increased to 276.00O, and every
thing for the equipment Of this great FORCE.
including clothing, tents. transportation.
medical supplies. camps and camp equip
age and all that pertains to equipping an.
army for service had to be manufactured.
transported and distributed for use.
Army Omcer Appointments.
From the statement referred to the pub
lie might be made to believe that the vol
unteer army was 0hicered by men select
ed through political influence with the sec
rotary of war by special favor and with.
out any regard to fitness for the duties,
they were to perform. AS is well KNOWN.
the volunteer force, with the exception OF
three regiments OF engineers. three regt-
ments of cavalry and ten regiments Of inn
mune infantry, was made up of regimenta
a at
which were all appointed exclusively by
the governors of the respective states
from which the regiments came. and any
omcer found untitled for service and dis
charged was replaced by another in the
same manner. The president had no voice
or control In the matter.
The returns OF the volunteer army
show that in August. 1898. there were M,-
IA enlisted men and S.7S5 officers in those
regiments. This, with the regular army
recruited up to the war strength, made an
aggregate force Of about 215GV0 officers
and men.
The volunteer officers appointed by the
president numbered. all told. 1852. OF this
number III were taken from the regular
army and 591 from civil life. The scarcity
ice. owing to appointments in the volun-
teers. special recruiting and mastering de-
tails, had SO reduced their number that to
have taken larger number for service
with the volunteers would have seriously
impaired the efficiency Of the regular regt-'
ments.
Thousands Of Applications.
''For little over 1000 appointments.
made by the president, the number Of APP
plfcants was over $500, and each appli--
cation was accompanied by a certificate
Of his ability. and in most instances the
military service, either in the regular army
or a state organization. and not infre--
n
showed that each one was as well Quali-
fed for the position he sought and to-
which he was appointed as could be possi-
BILE for men in civil life in this country. OF
the number appointed there were. for in
stance. 2e major generals. Of whom 10 were
taken from the regular army and seven.
from civil life. OF these seven all but one
were graduates Of West Point military
academy and all had distinguished them
selves In command during the civil war.
"Of brigadier generals there were 102.
appointed. 6 from the regular army and IS.
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.
His Own Appointments Few.
ut has been stated and repeated many
times that the secretary OF war made these
very few were made upon his recon-
mendation. although he caused the entire
list. with the recommends tons, to be COM
piled and placed before the president for
his selection. would only be too glad to-
have had the honor to have made these
appointments. No better, no more loyal
or more patriotic set of men as a whole
ever served their country. and their APP
potntments were credit not only 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 satisfactorily the work they
have undertaken.
Denies Misuse Of Money.
Criticisms as to the amounts and meth
DDS 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 as the conduct Of the service
was concerned. no person with any knowl-
edge OF the facts can ever charge truth
fully, and no one can ever show that q doll
lar was Incorporated. stolen or em-
bezEled out Of the hundreds of millions of
dollars that were expended. The records
are an open book. and I will be glad to have
them rigidly examined. and ask my sue
cessor to open those accounts to the coun-
try whenever properly called for, in order
that the entire truth may be known.
''R. A. ALGER,
Secretary Of War.
washington. D. c.. July 81. 1897
= '''
Was 1O0 Years Old.
No:11e,,:1I1 vAy:e A,,..