The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-13
RECRUITING THE REGIMENTS.
TER OF THE MEN OFF THE
ARMY.
THOSE WHO MAY JOIN 1T.
Men Who Expected q Life of Idle
ness Soon Find They Do Not
Get 1t.

army mas made rapid strides towards
| perfection, and this has only been at
tanned through the thoroughness with
which the various regulations have
| been enforced, In regard to recruiting,
| drilling, clothing, practice marches,
| messing, athletics, lyceums, and the
| hundred and one small details that go
| to make the serviceable soldier, ready
| at a moments notice to take the field
| for service of any kind.
| l do not think anyone will contradict
me when I say that, though small in
| numbers in comparison with the i'm
| mense armies Of Europe, it is as well
drilled, equipped, and as serviceabIe
| as any of them. This assertion is
| proved by the hard and efficient serv-
ice it has performed in the North,
South, East and West, in the last few
years.
| Yes, in the Everglades of Florida.
under tropical sun; on the cold and
! dreary plains of the Dakotas: in the
| burning sands of Arizona, the army
| has demonstrated the fact that under
! every condition of climate, it is the
same, faithful in the performance Of
evey duty, never faltering in the time
! call, to face the lannon's mouth, and
| place on record one more example of
! What the American soldier is capable
| OF, no matter what the conditions.
Many people have an idea that the
American soldier. and in fact the army
as whole, is composed Of the worth
| less scamps, buns and hard cases that
| come from the slums of our great
cities, that the soldier leads a lazy life.
with very little to do but drink beer
| and play cards.
| For the purpose Of demonstrating
| mat the soldier is not the worthless
| character that a good many of our
| citizens think, this article is written,
| and hope that it will command the
attention OF those who are willing to
| believe everything bad, and nothing
| good OF those who wear the blue
FIRST, where do we procure our re-
| cruits?
In all our large cities there are al
ways great number of men out OF
| employment, not because thew are
worthless, but simply because as a. rule
| the SURELY is greater than the demand
| rms class are willing to jump at any.
thing to make a living and get along
| somehow
Among them are good workmen, the
| clerk, shoemaker, musician. school
teacher, printer, matchmaker, and in
Iact every class of trade is represent
| ed; 1t is this class that the American
| army looks for it's recruits: to prove
| that such is the case, you could go r.,
Fort Smelling, at your doors, find a
| man TO give you shave, repair YOUR
7 watch make sail for a man of war.
| pu1ld boat, do a fine job Of cabinet
| work teach school, and in fact per-
| form any class of work you might de,
| sire.
second, who does the recruiting?
IN most OF our large cities, there is
q recruiting office, in charge of a. com
m!ssloned officer, with able assistants
selected from the enlisted men of the
| army, who, from long experience 6nd
the str1ctness of the present RECRUITING
| regulations, are able to select from the
/ large number of applicants the most
worthy; and 1 may say that at the
| present time very few buns or lOa fers
Apply, Tor they know it is no use to
| endeaVor to pass the scrutinizina oa1e
OF the recruiting officer
In every military post an able officer
is detailed by the post command &C
| recruiting officer, and is ready at all
tmes during office hours to examine
worthy applicants for enlistment.
Inlrd: What are the qualifications
| necessary for enlistment?
any man between the ages of twenty
| o.
ter and habits, able-b bodied. free from
dlsease, and able to speak. read ana
write the English language, NAV appiv
| for enlistment
MINORS are not enlisted except bows
between the ages Of sixteen and eight
cen VINO may be needed as musicians
I anu VINO nave the written consent OF
| rather, only surviving parent. or le-
| gally appointed guardian
| Original enliStments are confined r.
persons who are citizens of the United
states, or who have made legal decla-
| liens thereof
Applicants are required to satisfy th4
| recruiting officer regarding age and
! character, and should be prepared II
1urnlsh the necessary evidence.
NOT much show for worthless char
acter, under these stringent rules. No
| broken down sport can attemnt to
prove pro eo that IN ne IS worthy of donning
| the honorable uniform of Uncle Sam
No man without character can very
we'll comply with the restrictions
| placed upon his enlistment Some do
make it stick, but they are soon foun6
| came.
| How is he enlisted?
! There is blank form, called the
physical examination of recruit ono
half of which is devoted to questions
+ which are asked by the recruiting Of
! ncer. and the other half devoted to the
physical examination of the surgeon
| The recruiting officer asks the appli
cant for enlistment the questions AMI
| records his answers, has the recruit
attest by his signature the correctness
| OF MS answers and signs the paper
himself, certifying that he has duly
| examined the applicant
He is then sent to the surgeon who
| has him remove his clothing, and gives
| him a complete and thorough. medical
! examination, testing his hearing eye
sight, lungs, heart and, in fact, leav-
ing no StoneTunturned, to find some
| physical defect that would disqualify
him from enlistment.
No man addicted to liquor like the
bum can now hope to pass this exam
ination.
If the recruit passes the doctor. he
returns to the recruiting officer. who
fills in the enlistment paper, has him
take the oath of enlistment and allie
glance, sign it, certifies to that fact nv
his own signature, assigns him to q
company where there is a vacancy. and
his life as a soldier commences. Wheth-
er it is good one,rests with himself.
for, in the army as in the world out
side, AS a man makes his bed so mus
he lie in it,
The recruit draws his clothing. has
his hair trimmed to the proper length
If it be necessary, is assigned a place
in the quarters to sleep, and soon
finds that If he came into the army for
a life of idleneSs, he is mistaken.
At $40 in the morning, our friend.
the recruit, with those who are more
used to the custom must pile out of
bed, don his clothing and fall out
side to answer his name at reveille,