The San Francisco call., 1898-09-29
LITTLE CHANCE OF REMAINING IN SERVICE Seventh Will Hardly
 Go to Manila. MAY APPLY FOR DISCHARGE THIS MUST BE MADE BY THE
 FIRST OF THE MONTH. Thus the War Department Will Know the True Wishes of the
 Members of the
 Regiment.
THIS MUST BE MADE BY THE
 FIRST OF THE MONTH.

There is little or no prospect of the Seventh California Regiment going to Manila. Despite the fact that orders were received here on Tuesday placing the regiment upon the list of those to go to the Philippines with General Miller, off, cers who are in a position to know de- clare that the War Department has sim ply taken this way of ascertaining the true wishes of the enlisted men of the regiment. The order stated that any sol dier who did not wish to go and who could show good reason for being mus tered out, upon making formal applica- tion would be given his discharge. this phase of the order was simply a tip to General Merriam to find out the true sit uation in the regiment
 Yesterday the order of the department commander was read to the men of the Seventh. It stated that orders had been received for the regiment to go to Man fla, but that those who desired 1t could secure their discharge by making appli- cation for it through the proper military channels by the 1st of October; that is, the applications will have to be in the hands of the department commander by that time. General Merriam's object in this order is to ascertain beyond any doubt just what the men of the regiment desire. When he has this before him lllt SSueTdl WILL IIldKo HIS TeCOmmeQQd- tions accordingly to the War Depart ment, and there is no doubt that his suggestions will be followed. If General Merriam finds that the majority of the regiment want to be mustered out he will recommend that 1t be done, and the War Department will comply with his recom mendation.
 Yesterday when the order was read to the men of the Seventh they immediately began the work of polling the companies, and this revealed the fact that over 80 per cent of the men want to go home. The men were busy writing out their appli cations for discharge and filing them with their first sergeants. Next they have to be approved by the company com manderS, and then they go to Colonel Berry, and from him to the department commander. It can be safely stated that S0 per cent of the men desire to get out of service, but when the applications are all in 1t will be found that even a greater percentage Of the men want to be mus Merriam wants to lay before the War Department, and there Is no doubt as to what he will recommend. One prominent officer at the Presidto said yesterday: From what I know of General Merriam I am perfectly certain that when he Is aware that the majority of the men of the Seventh want to leave the service he will recommend that the regiment be muster ed out and there is no doubt that it will be-"
 Captain Pratt said yesterday that he out the regiment, although the order re- ceived on Tuesday Is paramount to one. However, he will continue his work just as though nothing had happened. Colo nel Berry stated that the order for the regiment to go to Manila had come as surprise to him, and he declared that neither he nor his officers had been work ing to deceive the men or to keep the reg iment In the service. Everything in the regiment Is quiet and the men are sim- ply waiting until the first of the month. when General Merriam will take action, and they are certain that their wishes will be rgarded and that Captain Pratt of getting the regiment ready to be mus tered out, and 1t Is an almost foregone conclusion that the War Department will act in accordance with the wishes of the majority of the men of the regiment, which means that 1t will be mustered out of the service of the United States.