The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-01
NO MENTION OF THE EMBALMED
ARTICLE IN SECRETARY
ALGER'S APOLOGY
NO REFERENCE TO SHiFTER
EX-SECRETARY OF WAR CONFINES
HIS FAREWELL TO THE APP
POINTMENT OF OFFICERS
HE DID NOT DO THE DEED


BILE for Amy Shortcomings in That
Observation-Disclosures With the
General of the Army Are Passed
without COmment-Much-Her
ed Document Contains Little.
WASHINGTON, July Clone Of the
last official acts of Secretary Alger, who
tomorrow will relinQuish his portfolio,
was to prepare a statement covering sew
eral matters regarding the conduct of
the war, which have been the subject Of
criticism in the public press, particularly
with reference to the appointment of staff
officers in the volunteer army. The
statement follows:
81 am led to make the following state
nents on account of the many criticisms
which have been made by the public
press, and especially on account of re-
cent article which appeared in the London
Times, containing assertions which have
no foundation in truth.
AT the commencement of the war with
Spain and for several years prior to that
time, the regular army consisted of only
officers prescribed by law The situation
can be partially appreciated when it is
remembered that within sixty days from
the declaration of war the strength Of the
army was increased to 27500O men, and
everything for the equipment of this
great force, including clothing, tents,
transportation, medical supplies, camps
and camp equipege, with all that pertains
to equipping an army for service, had to
be manufactured, transported and dis
tributed.
From the statement referred to the
public might be led to believe that the
volunteer army was oficered by men Sc
lected through political influence with the
secretary of war, by special favor, and
without any regard to fitness for the du-
ties they were to perform. AS it we'll
known, the volunteer force, with the ex-
cephon of three regiments of engineers,
three regiments of cavalry and ten regi-
ments of immune infantry, was made up
of regiments from the various states, the
officers of which were all appointed ex-
clusiVely by the governors Of the respect-
i've states from which the regiments came.
and any officer found untitled for service
and discharged was replaced by another
in the same manner. The president had
no voice or control in the matter.
SELECTION OF OFFICERS.
The returns of the volunteer army
show that in August, 1898, there were 207,-
244 enlisted men and S,7S5 officers in those
regiments. This, with the regular force
recruited up to the war strength, made
an aggregate force of about z75,OO0 officers
and men. The volunteer officers appoint
ed by the president numbered, all told.
1OS2. Of this number AL were taken from
the regular army and 591 from civil life
The scarcity of regimental officers in the
regular service, holding appointments in
the volunteers for the recruiting and mus
tering details, had so reduced their num-
Der that to have a larger number for
service with the volunteers would have
seriously impaired the efficiency of the
regular regiments. For a little over 600
appointments made by the president the
number Of applications was over 25. 900,
and each application was ACCOMPANIED hv
a certificate of his ability, in most
instances the military service being in
the regular army or state organization
ana not lnfrequently in both. These GER
uHcateS showed that each one was as well
qualified for the position he sought and
TO Which he was appointed, as could be
possible in civil life in this country OF
the number appointed there were, for in
stance, twenty-siX major generals of
whom nineteen We're taken from the rep
ular army and seven from civil life OF
these seven all but one were graduates of
West Point Military academy and all
had distinguished themselves in command
during the Civil war. OF brigadier gem
erals there were 102 appointed. sixty-six
from the regular army and thirtv-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 com
mand.
ALGER DID NOT APPOINT
'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 upon his recon-
mendation, although he caused the en-
tire list, with the recommendations. to
be compiled and placed before the presi-
dent for his information. l would only
have been too glad to have had the honor
of making these appointments. No bet
ter or more loyal set of men ever served
their country, and their records We're not
only q credit to the appointing power
y
were exceptions, but that could not have
been foreseen. In every walk Of life mer
are found who cannot carry out salts
factorily the work they have Undertaken
There were three regiments of cavalry
the officers Of which were appointed by
the secretary of war. Col. Leonard
Wood, now a brigadier general, and com
manding the departments Of Santiago
and Puerto Principe, was one of these
Col. Grigsby and Col. Torrey, both good
officers, were the other two. There were
three regiments of engineers the colonel:
of which were all graduates of the mill
tary academy, and not only the officers
but the enlisted men, were selected will
a view to their special fitness, and, II
most instances, upon the recommends
tions of the colonels themselves. and al
proved themselves most efficient
There were also ten regiments Of I'M
mune infantry. of whose colonies eigh
were graduates Of the military academy
who were selected for special fitness t.
command. and In the short time these
regiments were in service developed re
markahle proficiency.
Criticisms as to the amounts and
methods Of expenditures, which woulC
imply the wrong or careless use OF
money. were also made by the Londor
Times This charge Is false So far a.
the. conduct of the service was concerned
facts can ever charge truthfully and M
one can ever show that a dollar wa!
misappropriated, stolen or embezzled ou