The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-11-19
PROMOTIONS WILL BE MADE ON
DEPARTMENT RECORD.
CHANCES NOT IMPROVED
annoyance. of President BY Personal
and Political Friends Avail
Nothing.

nounced, at the war department to-
night that the names of the officers to
fill the vacancies in the grade of
brigadier general will not be annunoc-
ed until congress sets as it is not de-
sirable to make any adinterim appoint
ments. In addition to this statement
and in view of the great pressure that
has been brought to bear, it has been
deemed proper to make the following
official declaration:
'The secretary of war and president
have had informal discussions on
army matters on several occasions and
it is understood that the president has
expressed himself most positively on
the use of political and social in
fluence by officers, for the purpose of
obtaining changes of stations, leaves
of abs ,nces, modit.s at;ons :. orders,
etc OF course it is understood that
the officers often deem it necessary
to have attention called to their cases
by political friends for appointments,
especially cases of the young volun-
teer officers who recently have been
appointed. 1t is safe to say, however,
that at no period in the history of our
government has the matter of record
been used to such good purposes as
during the present reorganization of
the army when the greatest possible
care has been taken in the selection of
persons for appointment in the re-or-
gained army.
tThe president has not hesitated to
inform senators and others who have
applied to him that no officer will i'm
prove his chances by sending his
friends to annoy the president, in his
behalf. On the contrary, the effect
which will be produced probably will
be directly the opposite to that which
the candidate hopes for. Several SEN
ators and representatives have had
some disappointments because the
persons in whom they are interested
have not received the appointments
and stations applied for by them, but
the administration as a whole is evil
IDENTIFY Of the opinion that the good
sense and judgment of public men will
lead them to the same conclusion as
that arrived at by the president and
secretary of war, that is, that if a
system of records be thoroughly es-
tablished at the war department,
showing the progressive work Of Of
ficers and men, as well as public of.
hcials, that such a register be made
the guide for selections, details, etc.,
rather than influence. The appeals
OF individuals to their congressman for
their personal assistance in the mat
tiers above enumerated necessitates
public men giving up a great deal of
their time in locating the proper Of
fee at which to apply for Informal
ton and appeals, this takes them
away from their legislative duties
while congress is in session and also
interferes greatly with the public bus
mess of the departments.
ut is fully recognized by public Of
ficials as proper for men in the first
instance to establish character as an
appeal for office, by the senators
and representatives from their own
home, and it is eminently just and
proper that their influence should be
respected and they should be respon-
sible for the character of the persons
recommended for office, but once in
the public service it is only fair to
the administration that, not only army
officers but all other classes of public
Office holders should rely upon their
own merits and not upon the further
use of political influence"
LAAnI INC MONTANA olre1