River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-12-24
SAYS GEN. WOOD
EARNED PLACE.
Secretary Root Again Heard in Sol
dier's Defense.
LETTER TO SENATOR PROCTOR
Military Record of Gen. Wood Re-
viewed, and Reasons Given for
His Nomination IN BE
Major General.

Washington, Dec. 21.-The letter of
Secretary Root to Senator Proctor, act
ing chairman of the committee on mill
tary affairs. dated November Is last,
giving a resume of the military record
Of Gen. Leonard Wood and stating the
chief considerations which led to his
nomination as major general has
been made public. After quoting from
remarks commendatory to Gen. Wood
made by Gems. Miles, Lawton, Graham
and Forstythe, the letter recites that
upon these and similar evidences of
fitness President Mckinley appointed
Capt. Wood colonel of the First Vol
unteer cavalry in May, 1898. The sec
rotary also quotes from the common
dations of Gems. Young, Wheeler, Sum
ner and Shafter on Gen. Woods con-
duct in the Santiago campaign, and
says that Gen. Woods appointment as
commander of the Santiago province
appears to have been based upon a
statement made by Gen, Shafter in
dispatch to the department, in which
he said he thought Gen. Wood by far
the best man to leave in command of
Santiago"
The secretary adds: Upon a review
of Gen. Woods entire military record,
think it fair to say that no officer
of the American army below the grade
of major general has held more i'm
portant commands, rendered more dis
tinguished service, or demonstrated to
a higher degree the possession of the
qualities which fit man to render val
liable services to the country as a ma
jor general"
Policy in Making Appointments,
In speaking of the principles which
he says sound policy requires the pres
ident to follow in making appointments
the secretary says: THE law which
recognizes seniority alone as the title
to promotions up to the grade of col
onel abandons that rule when 1t deals
with general officers and imposes upon
the president the duty of selecting the
best men for generals without express
ing any limitation upon the class from
which he is TO make the selection. I"
selection is to be made two different
considerations always present them
selves to the appointing mind-one a
desire to reward long and meritoricus
service, the other to secure the best
possible man.
He says considerations do not always
coincide in pointing to the same man.
Continuing, he says
"The appropriate reward of honor
frequently comes to our officers when
their careers are about to close--when
they have passed the period of initia-
tive, of ambition and strenuous exer-
ton, and have come to the period Of
comparative repose. An army, all of
whose general officers are selected for
the purpose of comforting rewards, and
thus having at it's head a constantly
shifting body of general officers, none
of whom has more than few years to
serve, and all or nearly all of them are
just closing their careers and resting
upon their laurels, cannot possibly
reach the highest standard of efficiency.
To have a live army, which keeps
abreast of the times, in constant
state of preparation and ready to meet
emergencies with the greatest activity
and force, we must have a reasonable
proportion of its general officers select
ed from the men in the prime of life,
with careers to make, with ambitions,
energy, initiative, and whose service
will be long enough to maintain con-
tinuity of policy and sustained effort
in working out ideas which require
time for their accomplishment"
Previous Rank of Little Consequence.
Previous rank" continues the sec
rotary, lis of little consequence pro-
vided the service shall have been long
enough to furnish the requisite expert
ence and make the demonstration of
capacity certain" The secretary says
he thinks both considerations unite In
the case of Gen. Wood, and concludes
by saying that Gen. Woods record and
the views of public policy led Presi-
dent Mckinley to appoint him a brig
adler general, and that the present
nomination is in the regular order OF
seniority.