The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-12-02
FOR A BIGGER ARMY.
Secretary of War Alger Has Practi-
cally Completed His Report.
HOUSE ARMY BILL TO Be RUSHED.
Chairman Hull Expects Volunteers May lie
Discharged soon After Christmas-
QuarfermHster's Department
-Warship Trust Feared.


Washington, Nov. % Secretary AL
ger has practically completed his an
nual report and will submit it to the
president this week. Great interest
attaches to what he may have to say
bearing on the controversy between
himself and Gen. Miles and also the
recommendations in regard to the adj
visibility of an early Havana cam
paign. A new and important feature
of Gen. Alger's report in regard to the
military force of the United States is
to be his advocacy of the enlistment of
a large number of the natives of Porto
Rico and the Philippines. He believes
that at least 40, 900 Porto Ricans and
Filipinos should be taken int our
army for the purpose of doing garrison
duty at home American officers
would be in control of the natives and
1t is believed that the latter could
be drilled into as good soldiers
as those in the British service
in India. 1t is said that Alger fears
enlistments of Americans in the army
will be checked considerably IL men
run the danger of being sent to Ma
Mia or Porto Rico for indefinite serv-
ice. He will advise that the present
three battalion formation be continued
in force for the infantry arm of the
service in any legislation that may be
enacted during the next session affect
ing the organization of the army. He
believes that the artillery and infantry
branches of the army should be mate
rally increased and he will make rec
concentrations to this effect No
change in the size of the cavalry will
be asked. 1t is understood he will
recommend the establishment of a
new bureau the bureau of artillery
to have entire control of all matters
affecting this branch of the army.
The secretary will leave to congress
the important question of reorgani-
cation of the staff system of the army.
HOUSE ARMY BILL TO BE RUSHED.
Washington. Nov. 2S.-Chairman
Hull, of the house military committee,
has announced that his committee has
in preparation a bill increasing the
army to at least 100, 900 men Mr.. Hull
stated there was disposition on the
part of some to make the limit 125, 600,
sented to the house it will not carry a
larger force than 100, 900, OF this num-
Der 5000 may be natives of Cuba and
Porto Rico, who will be stationed in
those two islands for garrison duty.
1t is the expectation of Mr. Hull that
the bill will be ready for report to the
house on the day congress convenes
and that it will pass both houses be-
fore the Christmas holidays. When
the president atiXes his signature to
the bill the volunteers now in service
will be discharged, regiment by regi-
ment, as the regular army is recruited
The haste of the committee in this
matter is due to the objection of the
volunteers to serving in time of peace.
THE QUARTERMAsTER DEPARTMENT.
Washington, Nov. 2S.-The difficult
ties met by the quartermaster's depart
ment during the war are given at
length by Quartermaster General NJ.
], Ludington in his annual report
The quartermaster general found he
had to equip an army of more than
225, 900 men when there was no stand
ard flannel on the market The
flannel had to be manufactured and
made into clothing. There was little
cotton duck for tents. He says:
With all the perplexing difficulties confront
Ing the department in the matter OF clothing
and equipage supplies, in the short period of
49, months an army Of 275, 900 men was equipped
with such supplies ana the army in Cuba. con-
sisting of 10000 men, leaving their tentage be-
hind, arrived at their camp at Montault point
n Y, and found a complete new outfit OF tents
and clothing ready there for them
The securing of transports was one
of the great undertakings of the de-
partment. At the close of the fiscal
year, June 30, the combined transport
fleet of 60 vessels had carrying
of more than 81 900 men.
A wARsHIP TRUST FEARED.
Washington, Nov. 2s-Naval Off
cials are discussing seriously the re-
ported combination among American
ship builders to divide the new con-
struction of vessels for the navy which
congress is expected to authorize in
accordance with the recommendations
OF Secretary Long. There seems to be |
no doubt that number of the leading
ship building yards of the country
have formed tentative trust to pool |
bids for warships in order TO secure !
large profits and that, in apprehe nsion |
of such a combination, officials in the |
navy department believe prices will |
be- largely raised by bidders upon bat |
tleships, cruisers and torpedo boats. |
In view of such n possibility il is be- |
lieved that navy yards competent for |