Show c ROUTS ROOTS LETTER BOOSTING WOODI WOOD V 1 c Head of a Live I Rrt f of Course Cours BB Be a I OLD OFFICERS ARE DUfFERS p I I ASHINGTON Vc Lc c 20 The letter W f Secretary Root Moot to Senator Sinator 4 Proctor Pro tor acting chairman of the cit C A Ait I tee on military affairs atrain giving a resume of or th record Of Brig Brigadier I adier adler i 4 Leonard Lonard Wood 1 00 and ing the th tb chief hlf cons derat ions which led Ledo I to o his hip nomination as If a major general j I va SUI ap made public today After Arter quoting j from remark rt ma commendatory ry to 81 1 Wood N 1 made by I Generals MLle Miles Il Law Lan La Lan Lanaham ln n aham and Hod nd Forayth the letter relates flate t that t ha t upon th I e and similar ev nf or if fitness fifties President M appointed d Wood colonel of the th First 1 INt volunteer cavalry In May 1898 II The tary alf al aIo o quotes fr from un the tte of o Generals Young Sumner r and bind Shafter on Gen General General I eral fral Woods t in the tM Santiago j i campaign and sn says fI General Woods appointment as II commander of San tiago province appears app to ha hae e p been tn h I U II statement sta t made by hy General in a dispatch to the tle tl ie depart department ment in which b tn said 1 he thought ener Wood by far the best befit man to leave J f III in of UI Santiago The secretary revl vs General Woods I subsequent au b nt military career saying ing in n l this connection I Wood a Favorite The Th high estimate e lm put by the seen cr j I try tary t ry of war upon Woods Wood e p erv rv i 1 p Ies as a military governor Is II shown shon r 1 rr r the th published orders order of the war depart department ment referring to the general orders f r March A 25 2 1903 IMS and July J 1 1902 which have heretofore beer been published The secretary Ff adds adde that the opinions sd d In those der also were the theof of or both under whom I the service 8 was rendered saying i review of if f General Woods b entire military record I think it fair air I to say MY that no officer r of ot the American irmy n my below the grade gridi of major gen cm lra ra has hold hId mor Important In com commands mands rendered nore more distinguished C s or demonstrated to a higher rEE the possession of 01 qualities lit fl a man to render valuable services erice to l I th country as a major general Question of Seniority SeDi ritT I In speaking of the principles which require the presidents pr consideration ti t li se r ary says lIatys I The law la which hl h recognises seniority C lone alone as H a the title to promotions up to the grade of colonel a as that rule v hen it del deala de r and aDd 11 unon the president the tIN duty selecting t ing the best men mentho p thou it hoi t any Dhu tho iho t hr las from which he be t is Ii i to make the I The secretary adds cN that when wb such fluch afI a selection fI Is I to be made mR two different considerations always present pr them lf I to tip the appointing mind one a raire 1 1 ire to ti reward long 1011 and meritorious th other to eU U the bet bes heM t C xi man He Hr tys do d 11 not always a I ways pointing to th C same lame man Continuing he says say sayA saysA saylA A Live Army AnDy The appropriate reward of honor hoor frequently comes omes to our officers when ben their lr artere are about to close o ewla when n I they have haf passed the period of 01 initia initiative Initiative tive tit of or o ambition and strenuous exe exer exertion tion and have conic come to the period of o comparative repose An army alt all of Liose general oMere r are selected for fort t II purpose of rewards and tn thus tinis having at Its Ita head a constantly shifting body hodY of ot general ral officers none non of t has hit more than a very few flOW years to t servo serve and all or er r nearly nt arl all of ot whom hem are Just jUn closing ci ong th their ir careers career I Lard j nd eting r upon upun th thir ir laurels cannot t is reach reah n h the highest standard of ot efficiency To Tu have a live army which abreast a of tru th times in a con cou constant stant tate of if preparation and ready to meet tn f t emergencies with the greatest activity and force fon we te 1 f must have a ref proportion of its general officer 0 4 r rejected from men in the prime of or life with o 0 make with am ambitions energy y Initiative and whose will be long enough frough to maintain continuity of nf policy polk and und sustained ef S rt ll in working out teal leas which require time Lime for their thir acco ae Now in Regular Order Previous rank continues the sec see secretary ii I is of 01 or pro provided 4 vided the th service shall snail have haft been long Tough nough to tl furnish the h requisite erper fn cm e a und nd make the th demonstration of r capacity The Th secretary 14 he thinks think boh rations rat in unite in ID the case ca of Ion Gen Ont t t rul nl oli und and concludes by saying That l ral Woods record and the r if of If f public policy led President Mc Mch h 1 to ii appoint aim jm a H general and that th tu rr lIr nt nomination is In In the ther r 2 2 gulai gular order of seniority |