The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-28
Washington Office of The Herald, I
1415 G Street. N. w.

=,
let all friends hope it may also be a
pleasant one. The president has this
| week definitely decided two things re-
lating to Merritts army. 1t will
neither be increased nor diminished,
unless conditions in the islands radi-
cally change. There is settled con-
vlction on the part of the officers of
the war department that there are
| plenty oe men to do the work in the
Philippines, and also that there is
plenty of work for them to do. Accord
ing TO present indications the Utah
! boys MAY stay a year or more in the
| islands. This is rather more than they
bargained for when they enlisted to
sweep the DonS from the new world
| But they have reason to congratulate
] themselves that they are in the Phil
| iDDineS instead of the Antilles 1t is
! likely that they may see still more ac-
tive service If there is a great Euro
pean war it will begin and be largely
fought in the vicinity of the Philip
pines. If the United States should
| happen to be a factor in the contest
! things viii be lively enough, and, even
! if our country is only an onlooker, the
part of spectators will not be devoid of
| keen interest.
AT any rate. the Philippine army has
Tar more interesting work ahead than
the boys in the Antilles. The work of
the troops to be detained in Cuba will
! be purely garrison duty. There are
many chances that the soldiers with
| Merritt may see much briSker bust
ness.
| The health of the Philippine army of
occupation appears to be excellent.
| While Skaters daily cable reports
from Santiago are heavy with news of
the dead. General Merritt has had to
report very few victims of disease.
| Therefore the friends at home need
worry less about the welfare of the alb
| sent heroes than if they were in
| Cuba.
No positive predictions are made at
the war department as to the duration
of the service of the Philippine volun-
teers. but all those best qualified to
| express an opinion think that they will
still be on duty in the Asiatic archipel-
ago one year from this date.
There is nothing new con-
corning Colonel Jay L. Torrey's
cavalry regiment, but the i'm
preston now prevails that it will
not so out of the country. Private let
ters from members of the command in
dictate that the boys are very anxious
to get 70 Porto Rico. This island, in
deed, promises to be the pearl of our
new possessions. 1t seems to have en-
chanted all the American soldiers who
have visited it. and their stories have
excited the admiration of those who
have not been there. An officer who
was with General Miles at Porto Rico
tells your correspondent that it is "the
most beautiful island in the world
and is certain to become a popular
pleasure and health resort. 1t is not
surprising that the Torrey riders have
a strong prediction for garrison duty
there. instead of in fever-smitten east
ern Cuba.
Thus far Colonel Torrey's men have
exhibited none of the eagerness to get
out of the service that has been shown
by many other regiments since peace
was declared. There seems to be small
chance that the regiment can be con-
tinued in the service, for the army
needs the volunteer cavalry much less
than infantry. 1t is the impression
here that the Roosevelt riders viii soon
be mustered out of the service, by way
of reward Cor their work before San
tiago, and that the TOrrey and GriggS-
by regiments will follow them in g. few
weeks. Such of the troopers as may
desire it. will probably be enlisted in
the regular army, upon the termination
of the volunteer service.
1t is not yet known whether the
Twenty-fourth will return to Fort
Douglas. 1t is believed by many army
officers that, after recuperating in the
states Cor some time, all the regular
regiments viii be returned to Cuba as
part oe the army of occupation. 1t is
felt that they can do excellent work
there during the period of reconstruct
ton. This is particularly true of the
colored regiments. The whole matter
is, however, still in allegiance, and may
not be fully disposed of for several
weeks.
Speaking of the colored regulars, it is
noteworthy that the eastern papers
which have found time My to talk of
volunteerS-are now beginning to give
the gallant blacks due credit The cur
rent Pittsburg Times says: when the
rough riders received their baptism of
fire the country rang it'll their praises,
but few paused to note that the colored
troops fought side by side with them
with equal bravery and, in fact, rescued
them from their DerilouS position. In
the subsequent fighting at Ell Caney
and at San Juan the- were second to
none in the bravery of their fighting
and the intreDidity of their charges.
They met the deadly rain of bullets as
unfiinchingly as the hest of their white
comrades, and. in y d portion to their
number. they furnished as numerous
victims to the missiles of the enemy.
Under their dark skins was the same
warlike and patriotic spirit that
throbbed in the nerves of their paler
fellow soldiers
The war Ge0artment has forwarded
to Governor Wells a series of reguia-
lions prescribed by the treasury de-
partment for the reimbursement of the
states for moneys expended in the
equipment OF troops. The chief fea-
lures are as follows:
Original itemized bills must be fur
nished in all cases where it is practic-
able to do SO. In cases where they are
omitted. satisfactory reasons must be
given. The.voucherS given by the cred |
itorS of the states and territories, with
their receipts for the amounts actually
paid them. must accompany the claims
for reimbursement, as evidence Of the
payment of the creditors, and in sup
port of the accounts. No payment will
be made directly to a creditor of any
state.
The certificate in support of every
voucher or claim for reimbursement |
must be made in the form prescribed
by the controller of the treasury, and |
signed b. the governor.
The transportation to be reimbursed
as reasonable costs, charges and ex-
penses that have been incurred by the
governor IN aiding the United States :
to raise its volunteer army is only that
of men from his own state who We're
afterward accented in the volunteer
army, and only from the place where
the men were enrolled TO the place !
where they were accepted.
No reimburSementS can be made for |
any expense incurred for men who +,
were not accepted By the United States, |
nor for any travel BY any of the men.
except from place of enlistment to the /
Mace of accordance