Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1888-08-10

served unsel Cncie Cain IJr ueaTIy "a
score of years. II think they are better
paid. If | didn't / wouldn't be in the
army today"
When asked TO give a few details the
old warrior replied:
Take the place of private. When
he enlists il is for five years. The first
two years lie gets Sl3 a month. The
third year he gets $l4, the fourth year
S15, and when his term expires he is
receiving $40. Now, if he re-enlists
within thirty days his wages will be in
creased 81 a month, making a private's
pay. after he has been in the army five
years, SIS month, or $2lG year. That
amount, however, is clear profit Every
thing in the line Of clothes and rations
that is necessary the government fur
nishes.
"Now, asked the old soldier, ''where
is the man who works for So day who
is better of than private in Uncle
Sans police forcef"
The question seemed difficult and the
reporter gave it up.
That's not all, though" resumed the
military man, who evidently was proud
of his vocation. IF a man after enlist
ment and assignment to a post is found
out to be skillful at any trade, so much
the better; he can make it par. If he is
shoemaker he can find plenty of en-
ployment and compensation. L he is a
barber he can always find sub. ects for
his razor. If he is tailor he Gu reap q
harvest. Tailors are usually in demand,
and consequently in luck. In the last
post in the west at which | was ST toned
the regimental tailor-sn enlisted rivate
had practically nothing else to do but
work at his trade, except, perhaps, occa-
sionally do guard duty. What do you
think he saved during his five years SER
vice!n
The newspaper man couldn't guess.
Between 81, 500 and $1,000" was the
reply. "Of course this man was careful
in his habits: he didn't drink and he
didn't play poker But his case may be
cited to show what man can accumu-
late while serving his country in the
modest capacity of an army private"
what are the highest wages paid by
the government to az enlisted SOLDIER"
was asked.
The hospital steward is the highest
paid man in the regiment. He gets S45
a month-Sj40 a year and all his ex-
penses paid. A corporal gets 50 more
than private, or Sl5 a month for the
first two years and 81 more each subse-
quent year, with $50 for his second en-
listment. A sergeant gets 81 more than
a corporal, and in five years receives
81, ,02O."
Have you found that most of the
men in the army are toreignersi" in
quired the reporter.
That is often stated was the an
swer "but it is not the truth. My ex-
perience, which has been quite extensive,
has shown me that native Americans
form the majority Of our men. There
are. Of course, many Irishmen and Ger
mans who enlist. but they are in the
minority
"Who make the best soldiersr'
"Well, probably the Germans make the
best soldiers on post duty. They are
usually well up in the manual. On a
campaign-say out west against the Indi-
ans-where we have 10 make long
marches over sandy or rocky country
with our accouterments on our backs,
fifty rounds Of ammunition in our belts,
the sun pouring down its heat from
above. with no water except the few
pints in our canteens-in marches where
we have to do thirty and thirty-five miles
a day under such disagreeable circum-
stances-the German is apt to flag. He
can't stand it as well as the tough, hardy,
native American. The American makes
the best all around soldier. He's hard to
beat.
"Are there many desertions?"
THE proportion of desertions is quite
small in this country. The service i:
voluntary. and the discipline is not un'
necessarily severe. Besides, ii is hard
for a man to desert without being re
captured. Very frequently deserter
surrender themselves After few
months Of freedom they discover that
after all, soldering compares favorably
with manual labor as a private citizen. '
"How about soldiers marrying?"
"The government doesn't want mar
ried men. An enlisted man mus; SCI
permission from the commandant of his
company before he can become Bene'
dict. At military posts there are gen
orally one or two men in a company,
, sometimes more, who are married. y
their wives do the laundry work Of ~
company they are paid for it. Other
e wise a married soldier gets no more ra'
r tions than il he were a single man. "
I II