The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-28
REOkGhNIZING The ARMY
Secretary Root Advocates the Pass
age Of the New Bill.
He Appears Before the House Conn
mittee en.z.MiIitary Affairs and
Points Out the Advantages OF the
Measure Some Opposition to IL
He Declares to BE Purely Personal.

The House Committee on Military Affairs
yesterday decided to favorably report Rep
resentative Hull's bill providing an army
chaplain for each regiment. and for other
purposes. and his bill to increase the ef-
ficiency of the military service Of the
United States. BY the first bill the au-
thority is conferred on the President to
make General Shafter major general and
to promote Adjutant General Corbin TO a
major generalship.
The second bill provides that one-third
OF the promotions TO the grade OF colonei,
lieutenant colonel, and major may be made
because of fitness instead of seniority, and
limits staff appointments to four years II
also provides for the reorganization OF the
artillery service. the abandonment OF the
regimental organization, and constitutes
corps of artillery, to be divided between
the coast and field artillery. with chief
Of artillery to rank as a brigadier gen
eral, thirteen colonels, and other oiiicers.
The bill also gives two veterinarians to
each regiment of cavalry.
Secretary Root appeared before the COM
mittee and made strong argument III
favor of both bills. The efficiency bill was
drawn by the War Department under Sec
retary Roots direction.
MIR. Roots Statement.
Mr. Root said in part:
THE bill is limited to three subjects
first, promotion in the line; second tenure
Of staff appointments, and the relations
between the staff and line; third. reorgani-
zation of the artillery. 1t is carefully
framed to avoid raising the question CT the
size of the army. which it is understood
Congress is not row ready to discuss. and
its provisions are made applicable to an
army of whatever size CcngIe ess may deter
mine upon when it comes to deal with that
subject The provision as to line promo
tion Is that every third promotion to the
Office of major. lieutenant colonel. and
colonel shall be by selection, leaving the
other two-thirds TO be as at present. by
seniority. This is designed to afford some
slight opportunity for exceptional AGILITY,
devotion to duty, proper ambition. maLifest
fitness to command. and conspicuous gal
lantry in actian, to receive reward, and
at the same time TO gradually bring the
most competent OF, :ers in the service into
positions of command.
Under the present law. which permits
promotion 6hiy by seniority the President
is prohibited from recognizing mer.tol.ou
or gallant conduct, the most effective and
brilliant service must go unre~ardei, tie
thoughtful, devoted, and ambitious your G
man is precluded from advancing himself
by his own exertion a hairs breadth be-
yond the indolent, the dull. and the inef-
icient man who is just able to perIsrm
duty enoughto TO keep from being turned out
of the service. The effect OF the present
law is injurious to the service. because t
fails to bring the best men into command;
it is injurious to the officers because it
withdraws all stimulus to activity and zeal
1t is thoroughly un-Ameriean.- because it
stifies -indiyidpsf opportunity snl affords
no reward for individual achievement.
The Objections to the Eiit.
The only objections to the proposed
measure are that there may be favoritism
in the selections, and that jealousies and
heart burnings may be caused. The i'm
partiality of the selection is safe-guarded
BY the provision o' the bill that the pro-
motion shall be made from Z list of three
officers selected frcm the grade from which
the promotion ls to be made by board OF
Offices OF st'~eror rank convened for that
purpose ana sworn % make the see e,tiol
according to the merit and fitness of the
caDdidste &c as shown 1y his service records.
From these three the President is to make
the nomination. which has again to pass
the ordeal Of confirmation by tire Senate.
Il have no fears Jhat the officers of the
Army of high rank Vino will con- titute the
boards of selection Viii fail to observe the
obligation of their oaths, or will be guilty
of injustice to their junior officers b. rec
ommendng anyone for promotion over his
fellows except upon the ground of conspic-
uous merit. or that the President and the
Senate will violate the plain requirements
of the law and maxi the selection from
among the three names presented upon any
other ground. The officers OF the Army
have its efficiency and honor and jus @ TO
their fellows more deeply at heart than
anyone else in the world, and this bin puts
in their hands the power and imposes upon
them he solemn duty OF conflning these
promotions strictly within the lines OF JUS
tce.
This provision substitutes TIE record OF
an uficers service for the examination
which is made the test CT app5in N, Mt and
promotion in the civil service That is
right because the officers whole life is
one continual service examination: he is
always under the eye of his superior Off
GERS and his service record states the re-
suits Of that examination and is the true
test of his efficiency and capacity.
staff Organization.
"The sections relating to STAFF organlza-
tion provide for the abolition of the pres
ent system of permanent staff appoint
menis and for the substitution OF details
from the line to the staff for periods of
four years. unless sooner terminated by
the President, with The requirement that
upon the expiration of a detail the officer
shall serve at least one year In the line
before he is eligible for another detail. and
with the provision that this year shall be
passed in any branch of the service to