The Indianapolis journal., 1898-05-28
Great Pressure Likely tn BE Exerted
by COngressmen to Prevent the
Plan Being Carried Out.
PROMOTIONS In THE ARMY
MANY CIVILIANS ALSO GIVEN IMPOR-
FAINT APPOINTMENTS.
Some of the New Brigadter Generals
to Be Assigned to Duty I'm the
Philippine Islands.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, May 27.-Separate plans
are under consideration for placing the ad-
ditional 5000 volunteers. but that which
the President thinks most kindly of and
which has the unqualified Endorsement OF
Secretary Alger is to use these new men
for the filing out of the regiments now in
the field. This proposition will increase the
numerical strength of each regiment from
960 to 1.272, on basis of 106 men to the COM
pany By this plan $1,000 out of the 1900
new volunteers will be absorbed into the
old regiments, thus avoiding the necessity
for the appointment Of fifty-two colonies,
seventeen brigadier generals and six or
eight division and corps major generals.
The necessity will only exist for the or
ganization of about twenty new regiments.
or somewhat less than one full army corps.
Places would be created for twenty addi-
tional colonels, six or seven brigadiers and
two or three major generals The pressure
upon the President to allow the organiza-
tion of seventy-five new regiments is very
strong. The pressure upon him comes prin-
cipally from senator's and representatives in
Congress, and is in obedience to the clamor
from local constituents which have an over
supply of high-grade military talent. 1t is
altogether probable, however, that the
President will not yield to the pressure but
will order the old regiments filled out with
new material, thereby saving the treasury
a great sum of money in the salaries OF
commissioned officers and in no way inn
pairing the efficiency of the army. If the
President should decide to enlarge existing
regiments to the maximum Indiana might
not have the honor of sending an additional
regiment to the war.
Gen. William j. McKee's nomination for
brigadier general to-day proves his wis
dom in holding out against the advice OF
many of his friends to accept the colonelcy.
For time it looked as though General Nc
Kee had sacrificed his chances for military
preference in so refusing, but his action
evidently did not weaken his case at head
quarters.
Maj Russell B. Harrison has been ordered
to proceed without delay TO Tampa and
report to Gen. Fitzhugh Lee for orders on
his staff" *%
Lieut.. George M. Allen. of Terre Haute.
is in the city. A reappointment to his old
position as paymaster in the navy would
not be rejected. . =
An Associated Press dispatch says An
important phase to the military programme
is decision not to take up the details OF
organizing the new force OF $1,000 volunteers
for at least a week or ten days. At the
Cabinet meeting to-day inquiry was made
of Secretary Alger to what steps he prot
posed taking on the organization of this
large additional force of volunteers. His
reply was that he had not even considered
the details of this question and that his
plan was not to take up the matter for a
week or ten days. In the meantime no
conclusion has been reached to whether
a portion of the 5000 volunteers viii be
used to recruit the regiments remaining un-
filled under the first call for 125,O00 volun-
teers. If the regiments under the first cali
are to be brought up to their maximum
strength it will take about 10000 men from
the second call to complete the 125 regi-
ments under the first call. This will leave
35 600 men to be organized in distinctly new
regiments. 1t would have the advantage OF
filing every regiment in the service, in
stead of leaving most Of them with a de-
pleted organization. On the other hand 1t
would destroy the integrity of this force of
1900 volunteers as second reserve. One
os the main purposes of issuing the second
call was to establish a second reserve. made
up of men who could be drilled and equipped
at leisure and called upon some months
hence If circumstances required. But lie
10000 OF them are put at once into the regi-
ments of the first call they will go to the
front with those early regiments. and the
second reserve will be reduced to about
So 600 men, or little more than one army
corps.
The War Department is anxious to obtain
the views of the Governors of the States
and Territories in regard to the filling to
their maximum strength the regiments al
ready furnished by them under the first
call of the President for 125,OO0 men, and
with this object in view Adjutant General
Corbin to-day sent kilograms asking the
several Governors to make recommends
tions to the department on this subject
number of minor points coming up con-
stantly in relation to the second call for vol
unteers are being passed upon in a general
way al this time. For instance. the question
arose to-day as to whether colored officers.
as well as colored troops, would be taken
a part of the organizations offered Gen.
Alger at once decided that If a colored COM
pany had efficient. soldierly, colored off,
GERS they were as much entitled TO recogni-
tion and acceptance in the military service
as were the troops themselves. He made
this known in dispatch to the Governor OF
Indiana. who had asked for Information
and he stated the same thing to Representa-
tive Hull, of Iowa, who has an organization
Of eolored men, with colored officers in his
district. In this connection it developed that
colored men are being considered for some
of the stan appointments and the surgeon
general of the army has accepted a colored
man as surgeon. with the rank of captain.
The colored surgeon will be assigned 10 =
colored regiment. and coiored froona 60