The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-09-15
IN THE REGULAR ARMY.
Baltimore Herald.

ordinary walks of life," said veteran who has served under Uncle Sam for nearly score of years. q think they are better paid. If I didn't, I wouldn't be in the army to-day"
 When asked to give few details the old warrior replied:
 "Take the place of a private. When he enlists it is for five years. The first two years he gets thirteen dol lars month. The third year he gets fourteen dollars, the fourth year ff- teen dollars, and when his term ex- pires he is receiving sixteen. Now, if he re-enlists within thirty days his wages will be increased two dollars a month, making private's pay, after he has been in the army five years, eighteen dollars month, or $216 a year. That amount, however, is clear profit. Everything in the line of clothes and rations that is necessary the government furnishes.
 "Now," asked the old soldier, ,"where is the man who works for two dol- lars day who is better of than a private in Uncle Sam's police force2"
 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 man after enlistment and assignment to post is found out to be skillful at any; trade, 80 much the better he can make it pay. If he is shoemaker he can find plenty of employment and compensa- tion. If he is barber he can always find subjects for his razor. If he is tailor he can reap 8 harvest. Tailors are usually in demand, and conse- quently in luck. In the last post in the west at which was stationed the regimental tailor-an enlisted private had practically nothing else to do but work at his trade, except, per- haps, occasionally do guard duty. What do you think he saved during his five years service?"
 The newspaper man couldn't guess.
 Between $4, 300 and $5,OOO," 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 whats man can accumulate while serving his country in the modest capacity of an army private"
 "What are the highest wages paid by the government to an enlisted sol- dier?" was asked.
 "The hospital steward is the high est paid man in the regiment. He gets forty five dollars a month-S54O year and all his expenses paid. A corporal gets two dollars more than 8 private, or fifteen dollars a month for the first two years and one dollar more each subsequent year, with twenty dollars for his second enlist ment. A sergeant two dollars more than a corporal, and in five years re- ceives $1 ,O2O."
 "Have you found that most of the men in the army are foreigners?" in- quired the reporter.
 "That is often stated" was the an- swer, "but Is is not the truth. My experience, which has been quite ex- tensive, has shown me that native Americans form the majority of our men. There are, of course, many lrishmen and Germans who enlist, but they are in the minority"
 "Who make the best soldiers?"
 "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 Indians-where we have to 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 it's heat from above, with no water except the few pints in our canteens-in marches where we have to do thirty and and thirty-five miles day under such disagreeable circumstances-the Ger. man 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 assertions is quite small in this country. The service is voluntary, and the disci- pline is not unnecessarily severe. Be- sides, 1t Is hard for man to desert without being recaptured. Very fre- quently deserters surrender them selves. After few months of free dom they discover that, after all, sol- diering compares favorably with manual labor as . private citizen"
 "How about soldiers marry ing?"
 "The government doesn't want married men. An enlisted man must get permission from the commandant of his company before he can become a Benedict. At military posts there are generally one or two men in a com. pany, sometimes more, who are mar ried. If their wives do the laundry work of tho company they are paid fnr f. Ofha.-i.e -;.S .-1as-