The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-26
Independent Companies and Regi-
ments Will BE Given Opportunity
to Serve Their Country.
lNDIANA'S QUOTA is 1851
WAY OPENED FOR APPOINTMENT OF
MANY OFFICERS OF HIGH RANK.
Active Recruiting to BE Postponed
TILL the 125,OOO Men Asked for in
First Call Have Been Secured.

WASHINGTON, May 25.-The event of
the day in the war situation was the issu-
ance of a proclamation by the President
calling for $1,000 more volunteers. 1t added
new and stirring phase to the lethargic
conditions which have prevailed of late and
came with almost startling unexpectedness
even to many of the high officers in the
army. When the recruits under the new
call are mustered in the total strength of
the army. volunteers and regulars. includ-
ing the immunes, will be nearly 100000. The
Presidents proclamation reads:
Whereas, An act of Congress was ap-
proved on the 25th day of April, entitled an
act declaring that war exists between the
United States of America and the kingdom
Of SPAIN and
Whereas, BY an act of Congress entitled
an act for temporarily increasing the mill
tary establishment of the United States in
time of war and for other purposes ap-
proved April %, 1898. the, President is au-
thorized. in order to raise volunteer army,
to issue his proclamation calling for vol
unteers to serve in the army of the United
States.
"Now, therefore, l, William Mckinley,
President Of the United States, by virtue of
the power vested in me by the Constitution
and the laws, and deenning sufficient occa-
sion to exist, have thought fit to call forth
and hereby do call forth volunteers to the
aggregate number of 75, 900 in addition to the
volunteers called forth by my proclamation
of the ed day of April, in the present year;
the same to be apportioned, as far as prac-
ticable, among the several States and Ter
ritories and the District of Columbia, ac-
cording to population, and to serve for two
years unless sooner discharged. The pro-
portion of each arm and the details of en-
listment and organization will be made
known through the War Department.
I'm witness whereof / have hereunto set
my hand, and caused the seal of the United
States to be affixed. Done at the city of
Washington, this 25th of May, in the year
of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
and ninety-eight, and of the independence
of the United States the one hundred and
twenty-second.
WILLIAM MKINLEY.
"By the President:
WILLIAM r. DAY, Secretary of State"
MORE OFFICERS REQUIRED.
The proclamation means not only the as
sembling of large force of troops, but also
the appointment of number of major gen.
erals, brigadier generals, colonies, majors
and staff and field officers for the organiza-
ton of this additional force of 1900 men
into army corps, divisions, brigades and reg
iments. The reasons leading up to the call
naturally were sources of much conjecture,
as it was at first felt that the possibility of
foreign complications factor in bring
ing about this new move. 1t speedily de-
veloped however, that the call was not due
to any latent or serious emergency, but was
rather in the line of getting together large
body of men, to be drilled and seasoned,
and to constitute a sort of second reserve
to be drawn upon later when the campaigns
were fully under way. Secretary Alger
stated that the determination to issue the
call had not been reached until late yester-
day. The merits of it have been canvassed
more or less for some weeks, but 1t was not
until few hours before the call itself APP
peared that the move was finally decided
upon.
Coming thus Unexpectedly, the War De-
partment had made no preparations for ex-
ecuting the call. and 1t will be some days
before the details are worked out as to the
quotas from each State, the calls to the re-
points, and the general points of concentra-
ton. All that is settled thus far is that the
enlistments are to be thrown open, much
as they were at the outbreak of the civil
war and are not to be restricted TO the
militia and national guard organizations of
the several States. 1t will be an encourage
ment to the organizations of independent
volunteer companies and regiments. These
will retain their identity to a certain ex-
tent as State troops, as the Governors. will
have the appointment of all company and
regimental officers, while only the brigade,
division, corps and staff officers will be ap-
pointed by the President
QUOTA OF THE STATES.
While the adjutant generals office has not
vet undertaken to make up the quotas of
the several States, the following gives an
anproximate estimate of the State quotas:
Alabama ........1,500 New Hampshire AL
Arkansas .....1 ,230 New Jersey ..17 rs |