The sun., 1894-08-20
TINE NV REcRUIr1xe SYSTEM.


/ AoFe Efene@Neni nAN E@eheANs
wAsBIxoroS, Aug. is-whils less disposed
apparently. than Mr.. Proctor, to radical lnnovs.
tions in the army, Secretary Lamont yet shows
a desire 10 cut down useless expenses ia the
military establishment. and to lop on append
| ages that have been outgrown. His recent dis
| missal Of many clerks In the War Department
was one illustration Of this fact, while the re-
| organization OF the recruiting service. sn-
| nounced the other day, is another.
| The distinctive modern change la recruiting Y
Is the gradual growth VI enlistments for special
regiments by recruiting parties sent cut there
from, and also enlistments at the posts them.
selves, as distinguished from the general service
recruiting. The three recruiting depots at JET.
| fersOn Barracks In 1T. Louis at Columbus In
Ohio. and at David's Island in New York har-
Dor, were established under the old ~ stem, but
obviously have become less needed in proper
tion recruits are sent directly TO the resi-
ments for which they are enlisted, there to re-
Ceive in their compsnies the training they other
wise would have had at the depots. Accord
ingy the three depots are henceforth to be
abandoned as such and turned into ordinary
ssrrisoned posts, although they will still, In
view Of the present condition OF the system OF
enlistins, be designated, together with a fourth
at Fort sheridan, as recruiting rendezvous for
accommodating recruits in excess Of the re-
quirements of the garrisons near which they
enlist. One Of the features OF the new plan Is
20 place the recruiting stations, when practics-
BILE, near the gsrrisons that need the new men so
as to decrease the cost of transportation.
To show more definitely the facts and figures
on which the new plan is based II may be stated
that. for the fiscal year ending June 80, 1898,
the total number OF enlistmepts was as follows:
For the general recruiting service. ..........5l lot
sor !ss depsr,nent.i recruiting service sos
For The the sSSnser BATTALION recruiting service
For resimeutsl dstschmsnts. &c..............ieis &c
Total eo74
Here II will be observed that out Of 0,0T4
men, only 6.lO7 were for the general ser
1904 the results were % stii more % striking. sncS S
out Of 1910 enlistments, excluding those made
there % s enlisted By s ssrSst SGrps
a service. ii0t Thu. D i = VIII % Ss :ssn that
vice bad secured less than half the total num-
Der Of men needed for the army. Considering
only sesn in 81 Tronts
is noticeable, and seems to Justify the arrange
Another point worth noting Is that the law
on on the subject Of snlistmento Just passed by
WIN aid the sas OF
hibited the resnlistment OF privates who had
served ten years or were over 35 years old. 1t
which will fnrths- Increase the proportion OF
men obtained at the posts as compared with the
change in the period OF the term Of enlistment
from hve years to three is generally approved,
to read, write, and speak English may be an adj
ditional aid In sending him quickly to his COM
pssny instead Of to the recruiting depot for
II is fair to say. however. that the system Of
regtmental as distinguished from general SER
Gen. g. q. Howard % for 'eG eIa@p,Se: S IN Ss iast
annual report took this ground:
~f.S 1s,ss ss no. for the par.
pmcaaons but few have been found equal TO the re.
% n e. hSped
has ssp s e
q Shss . sa; :, and I. s he
aSsc.sd eTsatsd consdersbis aisSchtsns fss
s @ sss
a. much one way a. the other There are some eIcep
:s%s..s :! & rom sas
oeep fr.nt a p. ss VIM ss T
:raiiins o,es5. in.iu,sa q. q Enlaa con:
S
want Of his large garrison.
Other Officers consider It clearly desirable to
train the recruis as soon as possible in the COM
hoped for reduction OF expense OF transporta-
piled With men. the turning Of Sf the three re depots
Into regular posts will justify the abandonment
is In line with the new policy Of concentrating
nert the ttroops at s smaller number OF important
o hes! ny rail
the present time, since the creation Of three ad-
ditional posts with increased garrisons, In place
OF those depots for recruits, shows the deter
mination TO station large portion OF the army
at or near large cities.
1t has been suggested that the system of regi-
mental recruiting by accustoming officers to get
men from certain localities for their regiments
would allow them, after a time to become
familiar with the antecedents of recruits, par
ticularly where country districts are resorted
together ih the same company. But these ad-
vantages In turn might be modified by the Gus
tom OF exchanging stations, regiment some
times moving q thousand miles or more. The
rule to recruit near the post would then require
the new recruits to be taken from a different
locality, unless an exception were made for spe-
cial reasons. On the whole, the advantages Of
the new system seem to be marked.
JUDGE JOSEPH HOLLIS ESTATE.