The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-04-22
CALL FOR TROOPS.
The Militia Will Be Given the First
Opportunity to Volunteer.
EIGHTY THOUSAND MEN WANTED.
This viii Probably Take All the AvaiIabIs
National Guard-Speedy Action Wanted
on New Army BIlI-Its Pro-
visions Outlined.

WASHINGTON, April 2O.-The author.
1tative statement was made at the war
department yesterday that, on the first
call for troops, only the national
guard will be given an opportunity to
volunteer for service in war. This
statement Is in accordance with those
made by Secretary Alger to the ma
tional guardsmen who called upon
him at the war department on Satur-
dry, when the modified Hull bill for
the expansion of the army in time of
war was under consideration. Secre-
tary Alger thinks that such course is
in keeping with sound discretion and
the dictates of common sense, for the
organized militia has gone to great
expense and has devoted much time to
perfecting itself for military duty.
Any other course, he believes. would
be destructive to the best interests of
the guard. As far as practicable, the
state organizations entering the vol
unteer service will remain intact, the
governors of the various states being
permitted, as they were in 1861, to des-
ignate regimental officers which will
include those of the grades of second
will reserve to himself the right to APP
point the staff and field officers.
Many applications have been made
to the war department for permission
to volunteer, and among men of all
creeds, nationalities and politics there
is an expressed intention aud desire
to uphold the honor and the integrity
of the flag of the republic. 1t was
stated yesterday that the first call for
troops would be for 50, 900 men. which,
it is believed, will exhaust the entire
available strength of the national
guard at this time. after deducting
those who are sick and otherwise i'm
capacitated for imn ,diate service.
The total sire myth of the guard as re-
ported to the war department is ll3,
764 men.
The law requires that, in call for
troops, the number required must be
distributed according to population
among the several states. In antici-
patton of this call. the department of.
fcials have prepared table showing
the number of men thut would be re-
quired from each state. according to
the apportionment Of the last census.
NEW ARMY Bu.L.
WAsHINGroN, April -. 80 The war de-
'partment bill to provide for Temporal
rily increasing the military establish
ment in time OF war was sent yester-
day to Chairman Hull, of the house
military affairs committee, and Sena-
tor Hawley, the chairman of similar
committee in the senate. The meas
ure was prepared under the Immediate
supervision of Assistant Secretary
Meiklejohn, after thorough and care
full study of the best interests of the
service. In transmitting the bill to
congress request is made for favora-
BILE consideration, and. in view of the
eXigencies of the situation, speedy ac-
ton is expected
In time of war the army is to con-
sist of two branches, the regular and
the volunteer army, the later To be
maintained only during the existence
of war or while war is imminent, and
is TO be raised and organized only after
congress authorizes it. All enlist
ments for the volun teer army are to
be for three years, unless sooner ter
minated. All the regimental and COM
pany officers of the volunteer army
are to be appointed by the president,
upon the recommendation of the gov
ernors of states in which the respec-
tive organizations are raised.
Fred S. Kelly, cashier of the Phoenix
Fire Insurance company at Omaha,
Neb., has absconded leaving a short
On