The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1899-08-01
ALGER's FAREWELL
Retiring Secretary Takes n Shot
at Those Who Criticised
Him.


wasAins.en. Juiy ST. One 81 the las,
official acts Of Secretary Alssr. who. to.
morrow will rerpqush his portfolio, was
TO prepare a statement covering several
statements regarding the conduct ot the
war which have been the subject OF cri-
ticism IN the public rress particularly
with reference 10 me appointment OF
staf officers In the voluntes. army The
statement follows;
Il am led 70 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
tieie which appeared n the London Times
containing assertions that have no foun-
iation Of truth
At the commencement Of the war with
Spain ana for several years prior to that
lime the regular army consisted Of only
25,00O men with the minimum number OF
officers prescr bed by law. The situation
may be partially appreciated when IL is
remembered that within SIXTY DAYS from
the declaration or war the strength OF
the army was increased 20 275,0l0 and eve
erythng for the equipment OF this great
force, including cloth ng. tents. transnor-
tatlon medical supplies. camps and the
camp equipaee and all that pertain TO
equlpping an army for service had 70 be
manufactured. transported and distrlbu-
ted for use
From the statement referred to TIC
public might be made 90 bel eve that tne
volunteer army was ofhcered by men &C..
lceted through political influences with
the secretary Of war by special favor and
without any regard 20 fitness for the dut-
les they were 10 perform. As is welt
known, the volunteer force with the eN.
ceptlon OF three regiments I'D engineers
of immune infantry, was made up Of
the regiments from the various states
the officers Of which were all appointed
exclusively by the governors of the res-
pective states from which the regiment
came. and any officer found urftted for
service was discharged and replaced iv
another in the same manner Tho prcsi-
dent had no vo,ce nor control iu tho ma
ter.
'"The return of the volunteer amy
SHOWS that n August there We're 2.;-4
enlisted men and $3.50 officers iu these
regiments This. with tne regular a-my
recruited up to the war Strength made
an aggregate force OF about 2750)) ,fnc
ers and men The volunteer officers az
pointed by the president number all tolj
.O32 OF this number All We're taken from
the regular army and sol from civil lie.
The scarcity of regmental officers .
| the regular service, owing TO appoint
( raorfttf-
ing and mastering details, had 80 reduced
their number that 70 have taken a Ia 's-
er number for service with the voluu-
teers, would have seriously impaired the
efficiency Of the regular regiment. For a
little over q thousand apponltm7 7nts
made b. the president he number of
applications was over 5000 and each APP
plication was accompanied by certa-
cate OF his ability and In most instances
the military service, either in the regu-
lar army or a state organization and not
infrequently in both These certificate.
showed that each one was as well quail
fed for the position he sought ant e
which he was appointed as could be pos
sibie for men in civil life in this coun
try. OF Tie number appointed there were
for Instance, 26 major generals, OF whom
nineteen were taken from tho reguloi
army and seven from civil life. OF shes
seven all but one were graduates o
West Point academy and all had dist'n.
Euished themselves in command durir.
the civil war. OF brigadIer generals. ther'
we're lO2 appo nted, sixty-six from the reg
ular army and thirty-siX from civil life
Those from civil life had all seen serv.c'
during the civil war or on our western
frontier and all had proven themselves
compet ent 10 command.
1T has been stated and repeated man,
times that the secretary OF war MAJ
these appointments when the truth
that very few were made upon his r--
onmendation, al hough he caused the en-
led. / would be only too glad 10 hoN
tire list with recommendation 10 be com
had the honor 70 have made these ap
polntments No better, no more loya. o
patriotic set Of men as whole eve
served their cuntry. and their appo n'
ments were a credit not only 20 the %
DO nting power but to the country Tha
were exceptions. but that could not haN
been foreseen. In every walk Of lie M ?
are found who cannot carry ou satsfa'
| .o.il- the work they have 1aaf tdkH'
There were three regiments OF t7Nair'
the officers Of which were app niHi l
the secretary Of war. Colonel Leonai
nov, a brigadler general and commandir
the Departments Of Santiago ana Puert
Principe was one Of these. Colonel Gris
by and Colonel Torrey, both good ON
ers, we're the other two. There were thr
reg ments Of engineers. lhe coiooels
= which were al graduates Of the militia
academy, and not only the officers b
= the enlisted men we're selected with
/ view OF their special fitness and In mo
Instances upon the recommendation
the colonies themselves and al prov
themselves most efficient
There we're also Ten regiments OF u
mune Infantry. Of whose coloneis eig
we're graduates OF the military acaden
who were selected for special 3tness
command and in the short time tu'
regiments were IN service, deve. .opeG
markable proficiency.
= Critic. SINS as 70 the amount
methods Of expenditures which could
- ply the wrong or careless use OF MOI
n. were also made by the London iim
lII This charge IS false 50 far as the coni