The Wichita tribune., 1898-09-17
Duty TILL SPRING At LEAST.
General Miles Gives Little Hope for
Volunteers Now in Service.
RECRUITS Fer THE REGULARS.
Until Congress Increases the Size of the
Regular Army, Citizen Soldiers VIII
Not Be Sent to Their Homas-95,OOO
Volunteers at Least Must Stay.

WASHINGTON, Sept 16.-"Not an
other volunteer will be discharged be-
yond the number already designated
In the Presidents order, except for
cause" said General Miles to-day. II
think if Congress last winter had ap-
| preciated as fully as it does now the
necessity of o larger standing army,
the country would be in much bet
ter position. Then, too, there would
exist to-day a much better feeling in
the army. The war is practically at
an end, as far as we can judge, and as
the volunteers understand they were
enlisted for the war, it naturally fol-
lows that now they are anxious to be
mustered out. | do not blame them,
''f Congress has experienced a
change of heart in regard to a larger
standing army than we have had,
which [ sincerely trust it has, and will
amend the present laws, then the vol
unteer troops will be mustered out
just as fast as the regular army can be
recruited up to it's maximum strength.
This will take some months. The vol
unteer troops who have decided to re-
main N the service will probably be
compelled to remain in active service
until spring at the earliest. About
95 900 of the volunteers in service now
will be retained
1T has been stated that in view of
the hardships which our soldiers have
already experienced in Cuba and Porto
Rico, as we'll as in the several camps
throughout the United States, that the
government will experience difficulty
in recruiting a sufficient number of
men for the regular army. | do not
subscribe to that doctrine. If any
thing the special inspection of the new
recruits will be more severe than at
any time in the history Of the army.
We shall endeavor to enlist sound and
strong young men from the ranks of
those who passed successfully through
the Cuban and Porto Rican campaigns.
Profting by their experience in the
past, they would avoid many of the
errors that were committed in the re-
cent campaign. We shall be compelled
to keep perpetual garrison in Porto
Rico. At the outset it will number
not far from 10000 men AS condi-
tions improve we shall gradually re-
duce the number garrisoned in that
island to, say, $500 men.
Cuba presents far more difficult
problem at the present moment. A
few weeks hence we may be able to
solve it more easily. If the insurgents
surrender their arms and return to
peaceful pursuits, then well and good.
On the other hand, if there is turmoil
and continuous plotting and the over
throw of law and order, then we shall
be compelled to meet force with force.
One Of the grievances against Spain
was that by her misrule in Cuba she |
was continual menace to the peace
of the island and thereby the business
interests of the United States. Tur-
moil in Cuba under the Cubans would |
be equally a menace to our business |
interests, as well as a positive injury,
and could not be silently endured In
this condition OF things we would be
amply justified in interfering in our
own behalf 1t is the uncertainty Of
lf-gOvernment that will compel us to
keep large standing army in Cuba of
not less than so, 900 men to begin with.
This force we will reduce in numbers
just as fast as it will be safe to do So