The herald., 1898-05-08

The Volunteer Organizations
| The volunteer organizations of the city
are at sea just now as to what they will
Go in the future. All of them are still
trying to enlist men, but they are not put
ting forth the efforts in this direction that
they have. Officers as well as men seem to
be getting a bit Indifferent to the work they
have undertaken. They are not drilling In
full numbers and there Is not that enthu-
siasm of a few days ago. Strange, many
of them have now found business or some
thing to prevent them from taking part in
the practice drills. Their absence certain
ly has not tendency to encourage their
commanders.
Down at the Silver Republican club, at
the entrance to the basement of the build
ing, the sign reading Recruiting Office"
and another Headquarters Home Guard
Cavalry" are still nailed to the wall and
otherwise are as conspicuous as ever. but
not many people are passing through the
doors for the purpose Of enlisting.
Over at Lehnhausen's headquarters on
Fifth and Olive streets inertia reigns and
even the commander acknowledges having
lost hope. His men are drilling mornings
and evenings, but the ranks seem deci-
mated Recruiting hexe is not in a busy
state, either, and little care or concern is
taken whether or not any OF 1t Is done at
all.
The cause of this primarily is the ap-
parent ease with which things are going III
our war with Spain. While It Is true that
there has not been much fighting yet, In
what little there has been America has won
cut handsomely. This, the volunteers
think. is an indication that the affair will
be short-lived; also that the government
will have no occasion to issue second
call for troops. True, the leaders OF the
various battalions and regiments are try
ing to hold their men together in readiness
for a probable second call-for anything is
within the bounds Of possibility.
And in the event of another call 1t goes
without the saying that they expect to be
chosen. In this city and immediate vi
cinity alone there are more than $500 young
men on the rolls of self-appointed recruit
ing officers, who can truly be said to be
more than anxious to go to the front. Then,
one can estimate the number OF men not
enlisted but who would respond freely to
call at the same figures, and then there
are several organizations of veterans s'and
civic societies who have companies already
formed who could be drawn from in case Of
emergency.
1t was common gossip in military circles
few days ago that the national guard
would be recruited from the volunteer Or
ganizations and that the latter favored the
plan. Colonel Johnstone JONES' who COM
mands regiment of volunteers, says there
is no truth in the story so far as probable
Individual recruiting of his men goes He
claims they would not desert him to go into
the guard. However. the colonel said he
would be willing to transfer his men to
the national guard If the entire regiment
was accepted and the present officers of
it were permitted to retain their titles with
out taking chances on another election.
But even this the colonel added, was not
certain; in fact, that the matter had not
been seriously discussed by the officers Of
his regiment. He expects to get the sec-
ond call, If there is one, anyway. The
brigadier general OF the guard here is re
ported as having said before his depar-
ture, whom this matter was broached 10
him, that he would have companies re-
cruitod to their full limit when he returns,
but not by any wholesale movement. but