The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-18
Tho Army ana Politics.


with his usual reckless disregard OF facts
which do not Mt in with his arguments.
assumes. without any foundation in fact.
that the army is necessarily subject to
political influences. and that consequently
It could be used as a part of q political
machine. In speaking of the army in this
connection Mr.. Bryan, of course, speaks
particularly Of army ofiacers; AZ the rank
and file are not likely to initiate action
OF any kind. Yet Mr.. Bryan knows, or
with a little trouble he could readily in
form himself Of the fact, that in no army
in the world has political influence so lit
tie sway as in that OF the United States;
and also that in no army in the world
are the commissioned officers SO imme-
diately drawn from among the great body
OF the people as in this country.
Up to the rank OF brigadier general, pro-
motion In the line OF the regular army of
the United States Is based solely upon Sc
niority. The richest. the most politically
influential Of the young officers in the
service. with all that social ana political
pull can do for him. cannot advance. In
the line Of the service. one step ahead of
the man who leads him in seniority. In
selecting officers for the staff. and In pro-
motion to the rank Of brisadier general.
the president. on the average. has OPP
portunity to advance not to exceed ten
offlcers In any one year. Aside from this.
he is powerless to affect the rank or
status Of any ofncer.
AZ far AS original entry into the service
is concerned. the appointments to West
bers Of congress-; and as rule these APP
pointments are made as tho result of
competitive examinations, in which any
young man in the district who desires may
enter. Probably OF the commissioned Of
fioers in the army who graduated from
West Point fully one-half owed their ap-
pointments to Democratic members Of
congress-. According to recent statistics.
IL appears that approximately one-half of
them were sens OF farmers.
Failing West Point appointment. ev-
cry recruiting station IN the country opens
the way by which the ambitious young
man who desires a commission can enter
upon a military career. According to the
last army register. two out Of the ak
brigadier generals originally entered the
army as private soldiers, and majority
OF the field officers next TO them In rank
likewise came Up from the ranks II was
thus that Gen. Young. Gen. Chaffee and
Gen. Lawtcn became soldiers. or the
colonels Of the regular army. the fellow
Ing we're private soldiers. who won their
original commissions by service in the
ield, without friends or family influence
20 back them; baldwin. McGsesor. whit
side. the two Randolphs. Harbach. Page.
csmba. Kellogg. Ewers. McKioben. Bis
bee. Hood. Carpenter. Lloyd. wheaton.
French. Davis. Freeman. Burt and Cool
idse
As a practically uniform rule. the ten
appointments 10 West Point which thu
president has in his gift are given 60 the
sons Of army officers. and are never dls-
srisuieA as the rewards for political serv-
Tee
The commissioned force ofS,hs army OF
she United States Is essentially asmr-
cratic. both IN its personnel and IN the
manner % its seIscsisn. The srsa, ma
iori,y % TIE officers are dependent en-
tirely upon their pay. Their career o.
fcrs few Inducements 70 wealthy young
men 70 compensate for its many hard.
ships ana Disadvantages Tire army
never has been and !, never can b.
Political inEtrumsnt. AMI taking ,he esun-
try through. there - no class OF sasn 10
" fsnnd Win have higher conception
q their satsss to their eaantry or a great,
or dsvesian 70 The laws sna the principles
o. The government than the arry Oh.
GERS Of he regular sssasiisArneus.