Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-08-07
~ Zone year ago my hair came
Iona 70Ir out very fast, so tried Ayers
HarVigor. ltstopped the fall
ne and made airgrow until now it is IS inches long,
Mrs. A. Boydson. A;son. Kans. &c AZ

after being twice overlooked but, if he
reaches that rank, Gen Corbin will
have only five months and one day to
serve in II. as he must retire under the
law on Sept. Is, 1906. Corbin became a
hrigadier-general in 1898 and Il major
general in 1900.
The next officer in rank after Gen.
Corbin is Major-Gen. Macarthur, who has
had distinguished record. re entered
1862 and became a second lieutenant OF
regulars in 1866. He was a lieutenant
colonel and assistant adjutant-gen
when the war with Spain began, but Jan.
2, 1900. saw him a brigadier-general and
Feb 4 1901 a major general Gen. Mac
Arthur is but So. SO will not retire be-
cause of age until Jan. Z, I9o5 1T Is sup
nosed upon his retirement Leonard Wood,
now brigader-general, but who be-
comes a major general on Aug. 8, Will
succeed to the rank of lieutenant general:
Wood God " Which has been ordered BY
the President. is highly unpopular with
the army. Probably not per cent. OF the
officers regard this promouon as 9usuned.
Despite the arguments made in Gen.
Wo6d's behalf because of his excellent
service in Cuba, it is argued that his pro
motion is calculated to destroy the spirit
and the hopes of the offlcers under MIN
He was a captain in the medical depart
ment when the Spanish war began, rank
he had held since JAM ., 1891 He then
became colonel of the Rough Riders, and
volunteers, was placed in command of
Santiago when our troops left and later
was made Governor-General of the army,
with the rank of ma. ol general.
President Mckinley appointed Gen.
Wood to the rank of brigadier- general
of the regular army in February, 1901.
His appointment was held up by the
Senate Military Committee and would
hox,
President Mckinley sent word to the
committee that the rejection would en-
barrass the Government in its admins
tration of Cuban affairs and that there
were reasons of State. for confirming
him. When Gen. Wood was made
brigadier- general of regulars he might
have been appointed Surgeon-General of
the army and held that position of dis
tinction but he preferred the active SER
vice, although his training was not mil
itary.
1t is to be said for the President that
when Gen. Miles retires Gen. Wood will
be the senior hrigadier-general of the
army, so fast has promotion been, but
Gen. Wade was senior brigadier- general
Young, Davis and others were made
major generals over his head. Wade
had to mark time a long time. Gen.
Corbn is cverslated by Young and Chat
fee, and he marks time" too. 1T is
asked by army officers, therefore why
Gen. Wood should not also mark time
a little particularly as hevwill not retire
until Gee 8. 1924, when he reaches the
age of GA. Unless something should de-
velop in Mindanao, wher6 Cen Wood
has gone to command, it is probable that
his promotion will be fought, but with
little chance of success. Nothing would
be more natural than that. when Mac
Arthur retires as a lieutenant general
Gen Wood, who will then be senior
Encouragement of the army, should2 be
promoted to lieutenant-ge general. If Pres
ident Roosevelt is reelected Macarthur
will retire in the last months of the sec
ond Roosevelt administration, and Mr.
Roosevelt will make Gen. Wood lieu
tenant-general. q rank ne can then mold
for some months more than fifteen years.
When Gen. Wood becomes lieutenant
general, Gen. Grant will be a major
general, so will Gems Bell, Funston.
Carter and Bliss. There will then be but
one vacant major generalship.
that each of these general officers named
has many years to serve. Gen. Fred
Grant, who has an admirable record. re-
tires in 1914; Gen. Bell. whose record is
in 1929; Gen. Carter, the author of the
army staff, in 1915. and Gen. Bliss, whose
fiscal work in Cuba was so fine, in 1917
W5h Wood and bese ohe
officers holding the rank of major-gen-
erals for nine. ten and up to nineteen
years promotion will be stopped in the
higher grades. The chief prize of the
fifteen years Many army officers regard
this blocking of promotion by the APP
po;ntmcnt OF young men to these hi,li
tanks as most unfortunate.
Had there been a law authorizing the
President to recognize especial merit by
advancing officers to ranks below that
of general officer. such as colonel, lieu
tenant colonel and major, the situation
would have been different. Gen. Wood
would have been happy, it is said. to
have been made a major of cavalry after
the Spanish War. Grant wanted to re-
gain his old position with his class in
the service, and he would have been
made a lieutenant-colonel Funston
would have regarded the rank of major
as more than compensating him for cap
turing Aguinaldo. Bell whose dashins
exploits in the Philippines made him a
general officer. would have regarded the
advancement from captain to major of
lieutenant colonel as entirely satisfying.
Perhaps, however, war may come be-
fore these young general officers reach
higher rank. and that war may change
the appearance of things and offer OPP
porturlties for promotion such as did the
war with Spain