The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-09-13
Obedience the Soldiers Duty.

The case Of the Arkansas regiments is a
striking illustration Of the difficulties the
Government encounters in arranging for
the future service to be rendered by its vol
unteer troops. Secretary ALGER requested
Governor JONES to designate one Of the two
regiments Of his State for muster out, the
other to be kept in service. After much
parley the Governor selected the First,
but found that "both regiments are vio-
lently opposed to the duty which is ex-
pected of them," and, accordingly, insisted
that the Second should also be mustered
out. In other States, and, in fact, all over
the country, there are efforts to nave GER
tain regiments mustered out, varied, pos
sibly, by efforts to nave certain other regi-
ments retained for specified and presum-
ably agreeable duties.
1t should hardly be necessary to remind
all volunteers now in the United States
service that to obey orders is a soldiers
first duty. Undoubtedly in some cases
commissioned officers, being satisfied with
their pay, 30 much higher than that of the
men, and with the comparatively easy duty
now in prospect, and especially desiring
to lengthen out their records of time
passed in the United States military service,
are urgent to have their regiments retained,
when the men in the ranks are anxious to
be discharged. We may admit, too, that
the Governments methods in mastering
out may have been trying, furloughs Of ex-
cessive length, sometimes amounting to
sixty days, being interposed before troops
selected for discharge could gain absolute
freedom for resuming private life. Not only
does the heavy cost go IN Of maintaining
for a needlessly long time troops whose use
fulness Is ended, but scattered among their
homes the men are freed from the restraints
as to diet and other rules Of health which
the service imposes, and yet the Govern
ment remains responsible for them. But on
the other hand there have been still greater
objections, it would appear, to keeping
them in the national camps, judging from
the telegram which that veteran soldier,
Gen. GRAHAM, in charge Of Camp Meade,
sen to the War Department q few days
ago.: The presence in this camp Of regi-
ments which have been ordered mustered
out Of service Is exercising a demoralizing
influence" He asked that such regiments
should at least be sent away at once to
their State camps, for the sake of the troops
that were to remain longer in the United
States service.
But, admitting all this, the great duty Of
the volunteer troops to-day is to obey orders,
and to show a loyal willingness to do any
duty that may be exacted of them. This Is
the very essence of good soldiership, and it
seems to us that the present is q very criti-
cal time in settling the question how far
our citizen soldiers can be relied upon under
all circumstances. We recognize fully that
many of those who enlisted under the Pres
ident's first call were accustomed to q diff
ferent form of soldering from that which
has since been exacted of them. They chose
their own officers; often decided by popu-
lar vote whether to go here or there
treated their companies and regiments,
to a large extent. as social organ
izations; often controlled those or
CARNATIONS by the method of the town
meeting or the caucus and when they had
an annual week Of field duty to perform
performed it in a w~ell-appointed camp, like
the one at P~eekskill, for example, with an
abundance OF toothsome food, fine lodgings
and other comfortable conditions. 1t can
be understood that such troops, while will
ing to undergo anything SO long as fighting
~ SAS NNAiSh a IA PLoopCCII buOulu
chafe at hardships now, and desire to get
back to the occupations, the opportunities
and the pleasant surroundings which they
had cheerfully renowned for the country's
sake at the Presidents call.
But a little reflection should teach them
that the path Of duty is exactly as clear for
them now, even If it promises little glory,
as 1t was for those OF their number who
nobly kept up the prestige of American vol
unteers on the battleields of Santiago,
Porto Rico and the Philippines. We are
nearly out of the woods. but we are not
wholly out. We expect peace, but it is
not yet absolutely assured to us. Whether
the Government is or is not retaining a
needlessly large volunteer force is not for
the individual soldier to determine.
He is to stand fast and do his duty. Nor
Is 1t for regiments to make their loyal obe-
dience to the Government depend on
whether they are Satisfied with the kind
OF duty to which they win be assigned"
W. .. ILL -