The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1898-08-04

be concluded between the United
States and Spain the president will be
obliged to call an extra session of con-
gress at once. Under the present law
the volunteer army is only to serve
while the war lasts. It is realized
that, even with peace concluded there
Will be need of about 100, 600 men for
garrison duty in the new colonies, and
there will have to be new legislation
to put these troops at the command of
the president. The terms of the act
under which the president was en-
powered to call for volunteers are very
explicit. Under it the president has
no discretion and nothing is left
to be done except to muster out
the volunteer troops and send them
home. 1t would be impossible to pay
them or to feed them, because there
would be no authority for the spend
ing of a penny of the governments
money for this purpose.
The war department is now giving
some attention to the problems which
the department will be called upon to
meet after peace has been declared.
If the island of Luzon is retained by
the United States an army of at least
20, 600 Will be necessary there to main
tain the United States authority.
Probably a similar number of troops
will be kept in Porto Rico, at least I'M
til congress meets and provides form
of government for that island. The
estimate put on the number of men
that will be necessary to police Cuba
during the reconstruction period runs
from so, 900 to rs, OO0 If the insur-
gents should give any serious trouble
more would be needed. 1t will be
seen, therefore, that the duty of the
great army which the president has
called into the field will not end with
the conclusion of peace between the
United States and Spain. It is the ex-
pectation of the war department Off
Gals that a garrison of United States
troops will have to be stationed in
every town in Cuba and Porto Rico
while permanent and able govern
ments for those islands are being es-
tablished.
While the service which is ahead of
the volunteer troops is not that for
which they yearned, there is strong
likelihood that it will be a service
which will present many opportuni-
ties. There is a quiet confidence pre-
vailing in all branches of the war de-
partment that the regular army OF
the United States will never again go
below 100, 900. If such an increase
should be made in the standing mill
tary force of the government, very
few doubt that such an increase will
be provided for during the next ses-
sion of congress, and there will be
chance for many officers of the volun-
teer army to secure transfer to the
regular army. These transfers will
all be made up on the basis of merit,
and those officers who have shown con-
spicuous ability at the front, or who
will demonstrate special executive
ability in the government of the prov
inces over which they will exercise
sway in Cuba and Porto Rico, during
the interim which must occur before
stable form of government can be
adopted for those islands, viii stand
an excellent chance of appointment to
the regular service.
The belief at the war department is
that, as far as the enlisted men are
concerned, they will welcome the ex
perieace which is before them in Gu ba.
They will not have to go there until
| the hot spell is past and the winter
months in Cuba are both healthful and
delightful. The conditions which will
exist in Cuba during the reconstruc-
ton period will afford rare oppor-
tunity for the exercise of tact and ex-
ecutive ability, and those who demon
strate that they have the possession of
| these two characteristics in marked
| degree are certain of recognition for
| their services.
The president is anxious to demon
strate to the world by results achieved
| in Cuba the high capabi1ity of the
| Americans for government Every
| thing that can be done to help the
| Cubans to establish a government of
their own will be done in good faith,
| but it is taken for granted that the
| Americans will be compelled to re-
main in control of the island for some
| time. 1t will be the aim of the admin
| istration to make the American rule in
| Cuba so popular that in the event of
the Cubans failing to rise to the height
| of self-Covernment. they will of their
own accord ask for and welcome the
continuance of American control.
1t is the purpose of the war depart
ment in sending further expedition
to Porto Rico to grant recognition to
each state at the front 1t is believed
this can be done by sending $4,000
more troops to Gen. Miles. They will
probably be sent on the auxiliary
| cruisers Harvard, Yale, St, Paul and
St. Louis, which have been given up
by the navy department, and for
which the war department is now
dickering.
The troops at Camp Alger, number
ing $4,000, few of which will get a
chance to go to the front, are to be
consoled by a great parade which will
be given in Washington on August Is
This great army will march into Wash
iugton all the way from the camp and
i D. -,