The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-14
MEN FOR THE ARMY.
Uncle Sam Offers Good Terms
for Good Soldiers.
RECRUITING OFFICE IN SEATTLE.
Lieut.. Yeatman Tells the Changes In
the Terms Of Enlistment In tho
Soldiers Favor.

Yeatman, of b company, Fourteenth regl-
iment, stationed at Vancouver Barracks,
who is assisted by Sergeant Connolly, of
Company C, and Corporal Falk, of Com
pany d. This has been done in pursuance
of new policy, which marks revolution
in the history of the war department. 1t
was explained to Posr-ISTELLIeEScER re-
porter yesterday by Lieutenant Yeatman,
who said:
'sIn the army, as well as everywhere else,
one must keep up with the progress Of the
times. In no place in the world IS this
more manifest than in Seattle. In the
pursuance of a policy to improve the army
an officer and party are sent here 10 recruit
for the Fourteenth infantry. The small
number who compose the army (25, 000)
when at its maximum, bears so small a
proportion to our population of 100000
that the powers that be, in pursuance of a
wise policy, have determined, if possible,
to make it representative body of the
American people, and let each man gradu-
ating from il to be a benefit to the COM
munity at large. Young men entering re-
ceiye a fair pay, good treatment, and at
the end of an enlistment have a sum of
money which is greater or less as they
have been more or less provident. Con-
gress by an act approved June is, 1880,
provided that after July 1, 1890, 81 per
month shall be retained from the pay of
each enlisted man, 10 be paid ON hIs dis
charge and forfeited unless he serves faith
fully and honestly to the date of his dis
charge. The secretary of war Is TO deter
mine what constitutes honest and faithful
service, but no deserteT Is to be considered
to have SO served. The retained pay is 10
be treated as deposits and draw interest at
4 per cent. per annum. Enlistments will
continue TO be made for five years, but at
the end of three years any soldier so en-
listed whose antecedent service has been
faithful will in time of peace be entitled TO
Through of three months, and at the
end of this furlough his discharge, if he
asks il.
1T also provides that United States mar
shals, and their deputies. sheriffs and
their deputies, police officers of towns and
cities are authorized TO arrest and receive
the. surrender of any deserter from the
army for the purpose of delivering him to
the military officers. Hitherto civil off,
GERS have not been required to arrest de-
serters, though they have occasionally
done it. The president is given power in
times of peace TO permit any enlisted man
TO purchase his discharge, the purchase
money TO be paid to paymaster and de-
posted in the treasury TO the credit of one
of the army appropriations, TO be indicated
by the secretary of war.
Zone pound of vegetables is added TO
the daily ration. Each company now has
a canteen, the profits of which are paid to
the companies in cash for the support of
their table and adds greatly to the comfort
of the soldiers. The first of these was
started at Vancouver Barracks BY Colonel
De Russey, of the Fourteenth regiment.
'.In accordance with this act general
order No. 50 was issued on July IS, laying
down rules to carry out its provisions. In
addition to the rules have already named,
1t provides that soldiers discharged at the
end of three years service are not entitled
to travel allowances, which are transporta-
ton from the post of discharge to the
place at which the soldier enlisted and a
per diem of 20 cents for each twenty miles
of travel.
Provisions for discharge by purchase
was made by another general order Dur
ing the second and third years of the nrst
enlistment any enlisted man may secure
his discharge by paying $40 during the
first month OF the second year and IS less
for each succeeding month until the
end of the third year. Enlisted
or more are TO be classined as veteran
soldiers and may obtain their discharge by
way of favor, so far as the interests of the
service viii admit of the merits of each
case justify. The purpose is to extend all
possible indulgence TO meritorious men,
especially where discharge will be for
the material benefit of the soldier. MANY
men have taken advantage of this clause,
particularly men of settled habits and
fair education. One man in my company
who had served sixteen years had an OBJ
portunity of profitable employment. asked
for his discharge and got it under this Sec
ton.
visions are not entitled to travel allowances
and are not eligible for re-enlistment for
one year from date of discharge.
Each colonel has been directed to out
line recruiting system for his regiment in
the immediate locality where it is station
ed, for the purposes OF experiment. This
Is an approach 70 the territorial system of
enlistment practiced in several European
countries. 1t is desired to recruit 1rom
among better class OF people than MANY
recruits have been drawn from hitherto.
We want men who have a sense of person.
al responsibility. Heretofore there have
been very few recruiting rendezvous. They
have been of necessity in the vicinity Of
large cities, where only few of the most
desirable class were TO be found We are
now trying TO take in the whole country.
We require TO know ar least mans
whereabouts for at least six months, that
he has been sober and honest and that he
has shown disposition, at least TO stick
to some employment for time. The usual
physical examination musf.be undergone.
- opened the Seattle station at S14
Front street, on the morning of December
3. / have had about forty applicants
already, have not positively accepted one,
and have only taken two under considera-
ton. The care exercise in accepting men
has already become matter of comment.
/ overheard two men discussing the subject
Of enlisting yesterday and one of them.
speaking of me, said: oh! that fellow
would refuse you just for smoking cigar
cites OF course this was an exaggera-
ton.
Il can take a man for six days on proha-
ton after administering 10 him the dec
laration OF a recruit, that he desires To en-
ter the service. has neither wife nor child
and believes himself 70 be physically con-
stituted TO perform the duties incident TO
the service, and that he has never been
discharged from the service. except in
such way as he has explained to me.
then examine him physically and do this
very closely. During those six DAYS I
verify his recommendations and find out
what IS possible about his character in
general. If | am then satisfied / swear
him In. keep the recruits here until |
have sufficient to justify my sending a
non-commissioned officer in charge and
then send them TO the post. After reach
ing the post, they are re-examined by an
army surgeon and. il they are no accept
able 10 him. they are assigned 10 companies
by the regimental commander. If men
want TO enlist for a certain company.
make n statement of that fart and 4bax- Va.