The Holly chieftain., 1898-08-05
THE VOLUNTEER TROOPS.
Under the Present Law They Must
Be Mustered Out if Peace Is
Declared.
EXTRA SESSION OF CONGRESS- LIKELY.
New leGlsiation VIII BE Required So That
the fresidsnt Can Have Troops to Gar
rison Cities OF Cubi. Porto Rico and
tn" PhiIippines-Ihr Volunteers Not
sent 20 the Front to Bc Used

States and Spain the president will be
obliged to call an extra session of con-
gress at once. Under rAc present law
the volunteer army is only to serve
while the war lasts. II is realized
that even with peace concluded, there
VIII be need of about lun 900 men for
harrison duty in the nc& colonies and
there will have to b. new legislation
70 put these troops at the command Of
the president The terms of the act
under which the president was en-
powered to call for 20 vo.uuteers are very
explicit Under it the president has
no discretion and nothing is left
to be done except to muster ont
The volunteer troops and send them
home 1t would be imposs. BILE to pay
them or to feed them, because there
would hc no authority for the spend
ing Of penny OF the goTernmcnts
money for this purpose
The war department is now giving
81 me attention to the problems which
the department will be called upon to
meet after peace has been declared.
II the island OF LUZOn is retained by
the United States an army OF at least
~, 900 VIII be- necessary there to main
tain the United States authority.
Probably similar number OF troops
will be kept n Porto Rico. at least un-
I'll 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 30. 600 to 1000. II 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. 1t is the ex.
pcctation OF the war department Off
cials that q garrison of United States
troops will have to be stationed in
every town in Cuba and Porto Rice
while permanent and stable govern
ments for those islands are being es.
,ablishcd.
While the service which is ahead OF
the volunteer troops is not that for
which they yearncd, there is a strong
t'hNAhlHp'Nl lllhL II w III bt Il htTNltC
which will present many opportuni
ties. There is 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 he 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
inccs 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, will 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-
perieuce which is before them in Cuba.
They will not have to 20 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 reconstruct
ton period will afford Il 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 n 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 capaoility of the
Americans for government. Every
thing that can be done to help the
Cubans to establish 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.government, 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 UT
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 q
chance to go to the front, are to be
consoled by great parade which will
be given in Washington on August 49,
This great army will march into Wash,
ington all the way from the camp and
will then parade down Pennsylvania
avenue past the white house, where
they will be reviewed by the presi
dent and his cabinet 1t will be the
greatest military display Washington
has seen since the grand review at tn.
close of the civil war.
Emperor of China thoFn of Power.