The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-16
DISCHARGES COMING SLOWLY.
PIGMENTS sIMMERING DOWN TO
MEN WHO WANT TO GO TO CUBA.

Few Discharges Are Received
From Day to Day-Most of Them
come Through Congressional and
senatorial Inhuence-NOt Nearly
so Many Applications as Few
uonthS AgO-Men Seem Better
satisfied and willing to Try 1t a
while Longer.
Soldiers are not being discharged as free
T., inst now as they were some weeks ago.
,tonv of those who were most anxious to
40, ont of the service were getting their
5iseba-ge papers then, while now the reg
ir,ents seem to have simmered down IL
those who do not regard the question of
remaining in with such great aversion.
There are undoubtedly many who would
IKE TO get out of the army now, but
,bines have not come their way. Through
ignorance Of just what course they should
o,rsue number have refrained from
making application for discharges. They
have let things drag along without try
inc very hard to get out of the service
when. if the opportunity were offered
them they would be very glad to avail
themselves of il.
Railroad men say there are not nearly so
panv furloughs or discharges as some
time ago. The furloughs have been cut
off because of the troops being under or
ders for Cuba. There are as many sick
leaves being granted as there are dis
charges and furloughs together. Most of
no nd a 10
FMS. received have political influences to be
thanked by the boys who get them Some
of the applications that have gone through
the regular military channel to Washing
ton with the endorsement of the company
and regimental commanders have been rec
ognized. Political influence is the strong
card, however, and with it there is no rea-
sou why a man who wants 10 get out of
the service should stay in.
member of the Third Georgia was in
one of the ticket offices yesterday nego-
tiating for a ticket home after having re-
ceived his discharge. He said his had just
arrived during the morning, and that half
the members of his company had already
been to see him to have a quiet talk and
find out just how he had gone about get
ting his discharge. He said he had merely
written the congressman who represents
his district a week ago to ascertain how
he should go about trying for a discharge.
This was all the congressman seemed to
desire in the way of a hint, for the SOL
der was greatly surprised and delighted
TO get his walking papers after such a
simple effort. The other members of his
company, the man said, who are anxious
to get out of the army, will try to get
their congressman to take as much inter
est in them as was shown by the repre-
sentative from his district.
Two months ago there could scarcely
have been % per cent. of the men found
who would not have been glad TO get dis
charges 1t was when they had become
entirely disguised with camp life, as they
found it at Jacksonville. Camping near
Savannah on excellent sites, and being
so well treated by the people of the city,
have had their natural effect, and bright
er side of army life has been seen. Many
of those who would gladly have embraced
an opportunity of giving up their jobs
would be content TO retain them if they
could remain near Savannah.
Then, too, two months ago the prospect
of getting TO Cuba did not appear very
bright. The charm of adventure and the
hope of seeing a land that will be new to
them have made the men less anxious to
leave their regiments. One or two enlist
ed men of good position at their homes
have been heard to express themselves
as determined to remain in as long as they
are needed. They say they do not consider
that the necessity for their services eX-
pred with the cessation of hostilities, and
that they will stick to the army until the
terms for which they enlisted run out.
1t is not often that these patriotic motives
for remaining in are heard expressed by
those who could get out if they cared 10.
The statement of the adjutant general
Of the army, reported in the dispatches
in the Morning News of yesterday, that ii
is the intention of the department to allow
as many as possible of those who desire
to do so get out of the service, will doubt
less interest those who have had enough
Of the army. He said however that the
companies will be reduced to a footing OF
eighty members in order to admit of the
men being discharged. This is not much
encouragement 10 the soldiers, however
as the discharges that have already been
secured have been sufficient to reduce
them to about this number. In a few oil
the regiments recruits have been receiv-
ed, special orders from Washington hav-
ing allowed the colonies to build up theil
strength. Every recruit that comes into
a company will give an old member &
chance for his discharge.