The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-26
A VOLUNTEER ARMY.

bill, prepared by the War Department,
TO authorize the President to call for
volunteers, and to provide for the or
ganization Of the volunteer army.
The bill, as passed, confers on the
Governors of the States authority TO
appoint all the regimental and com.
pany officers. This conforms to the
practice followed in the late civil war.
The bill wal passed after an hours
debate, during the progress of which
Mr.. Hull, the author of the bill, de-
clared that the law would become per
manent.
Congress wanted to fight" he said,
land when ar emergency, such as the
present one arose, there ought to be no
necessity for the Executive to ask for
authority to raise an army"
PROVISIONS OF THE Law.
Following are the chief provisions of
the new law:
Be it enacted, etc., that all able
bodied male citizens of the United
States, and persons of foreign birth
who shall have declared their intention
to become citizens of the United States
under and in pursuance of the laws
thereof, between the ages of Is and IS
years, are hereby declared to constitute
the national forces, and, with such ex-
captions and under such conditions as
may be prescribed by law, shall be liza
BILE to perform military duty in the
service of the United States.
Section Q. That the organized and
active land forces Of the United States
shall consist Of the army Of the United
States and of the militia of the several
States when called into the service Of
the United States, provided that in
time Of war the army shall consist of
two branches which shall be designst-
ed, respectively, as the regulr army
and the volunteer army Of the United
States.
Sec. 8. That the regular army is the
permanent military establishment
which is maintained both in peace and
war according to law.
Sec. 4. That the volunteer army
shall be maintained only during the
existence Of war, or while war is i'm
minent, and shall be raised and organ
lied, as in this act provided, only after
Congress shall have authorized the
President to raise such O force; provid-
ed that all enlistments for the volun,
teer army shall be for a term Of three
years, unless sooner terminated, and
that all officers and men composing
said army shall be discharged from the
service Of the United States when the
purposes for which they were called
into service shall have been accom-,
plished, or on the conclusion Of hostili.
ties.
ALLOTTED ACCORDING TO POPULATION
Sec. 5. That when it becomes neces.
sRry to raise a volunteer army, the
President shall issue his proclamation
stating the number of men desired,
within such limits as may be fixed by
law, and the Secretary of War shall
prescribe such rules and regulations,
not inconsistent with the terms of this
act, as may, in his Judgement, be nee
essary for the purpose Of examining,
organizing, and receiving into service
the men called for; provided that all
men received into service in the volun-
teer army shall, as far as practicable,
be taken from the several States and
Territories and the District of Colum
bia in proportion to their population.
Sec. 6. That the volunteer army, and
the militia of the States, when called
into the service of the United States,
shall be organized under, and shall be
subject to, the laws, orders, and regu-
Iations governing the regular army,
provided that each regiment Of the
volunteer army shall have one surgeon
and one assistant surgeon, and that
all the regimental and company officers
shall be appointed by the President,
upon the recommendation Of the Gov
ernors of the States in which their n
spective organizations are raised, sub
ject to such an examination as to fit
ness and capacity as the President may
prescribe; provided further, that when
the members Of any company or regi
ment of the organized militia of any
State shall enlist in the volunteer army
in a body, as such Company or regi-
ment, the ~regimental and company
officers i'm service with the militia Or
ganization thus enlisting may be ap,
pointed by the President, subject to
such an examination as to the fitness
and capacity of said officers az he may
prescribe, to be officers of correspond