The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-06-08
Generals Miles and Corbin.


Representative briggs. in opposing
the proposition to advance Adt. Gen.
Corbin to the rank Of major general.
thought 1t incumbent upon him TO call
attention to that officers marvellous
Iy quick promotion" The promotion Of
Gen. Corbin will hardly strike an un-
prejudiced observer as marvelously
quick. In fact. auickness in army pro-
motions Is something which had not
been very much in evidence at any time
during the present. generation. For
example, Gen. Corbin was a colonel
commanding regiment, with the
brevet rank OF brigadier general, thir-
ty-five years ago. The rank was. II is
true. in the volunteer army. but the
duties. responsibilities and pay were
precisely the same az though he had
been in the regular establishment. The
emily difference lay In the tenure OF his
office. After the expiration OF thirty
five years. Gen. Corbin is advanced Just
two steps above the actual rank held
by him In 1865. and one step above the
hrevet rank held ther and won by gal
lantry in action.
Neither can IL be claimed with any
degree Of justice that Gen. Miles has
received promotion beyond his military
deserts. Entering the army as a prI-
vats soldier in 1851, Gen. Miles. step
by step. won his way TO the rank OF
major general, and in 1865 was In COM
mand of an army corps. At rs years Of
age he had more men under his i'm
mediate command than he ever again
saw assembled together under arms in
this country until the outbreak OF the
war with Spain. After thirty-f five years
more OF distinguished service 10 his
country. he finds himself at 81 years OF
age just one step higher In rank than
ne was AT IS
BY way OF contrast 10 this record Of
slow promotion In the army. it may be
noted that neither Dewey, Schley nor
Sampson held during the civfl war as
high relative rank IN the navy az vas
held by CorbiR in the army at that
time. Yet each Of these DISTINGUISHED
naval officers, In the natural process Of
lineal promotion. reached relatively "a
high rank as 10 now being conferrnl
- a. FtsFa ref
In recognition Of hts official position
pewey's position, created for him In
rcc0gnition ~ his distinguished ser
vice y higher than that created for
Miles as commanding general OF the
army Yet Gen Miles came on, 81 the
cl,n war with the rank OF u,a,or gen.
cral, while Dewey az the close ~ tho
clyn war was bat lieutenant com.
uatDder in the navy. a rank CORES.
lonslng 10 major IN the army Nrtoa
end Cu1-llu We're both coe,anand. nr a..
neets during the civil WAT. while newcv
S.h'ey ana sampson never had a som
uApd during che same period
Criticisms q theHe promotions haseI
uron any argument * undue rapdi,v
ave nansfestiy frivolous Moreover
aside f-oH the personal claims o., ,hoso
Officers - promotion. the now rank
given them - no more than should A..
tacN icg.umately 20 the positions which
they are called upon to nu. rihAs bee,
a manifest aesuriity that the x-narol
IN cnrnsnand O. tho army o. the r-nuea
states should have no higher rank tnan
"a div commander. the extent o,
hose command IS theoretically lul,a,
"a 1900 men by way u contrast T.,
this oonditton NJ AFFAIRS It may be oh
served chat In the British army nr,or
10 the South African war. with IS At
tendan' rapid promotion. there were
SIX field marshals. twenty generals and
forty i've lieutenant generals. In add