Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-08-01
But Few Are Chosen to Fight
For Uncle Sam.
EXAMINATION IS RIGID
Capt. Detchmendy Has Received so
Applications, But Many Have
Been Rejected.

Captain Detchmendy, the regular army
officer who has charge of the recruiting
olllces recently established in the state,
says the work of enlisting volunteers for
the provisional army is progressing salts
factorily. UD to date he has received
about GO applications in all, but many of
these Would-be.s soldiers have been reject
ed, as only those who are in the pink Of
condition and whose moral standing is
unquestioned, are being accepted.
Married men are not wanted. Those
who, stlpulate as to the requirements Of
those who would fight are either of the
opinion that married men should be men
of peace, although they sometimes have
to go to war to find it, or that they should
stay at home and take care of the babies
and provide for their families. In Helena
recently the captain had an experience
with a Benedict who would be a soldier.
The applicant was a young man scarcely
more than is years Of age and had salts
factorily answered all the requirements.
Il suppose" remarked the captain, as he
sazed at the downy cheeks of the youth,
that you are unmarr.ed.'
The boy replied that he was married
and the father of a son, and that he pre-
ferred fighting the Filipinos to living with
his wife.
Then we can take you," said the
captain. You have not been divorced,
and as a married man, in the eyes of the
government, you are unfit for soldering"
Great guns" calculated the applicant.
For two years l nave lived a life that
would fit me to stand any hardship. 1t
IS very evident to me, captain, that you
are not a married man. And he walked
away d.sgustedly.
1t may afford some wives with hus-
bands who have military aspirations
some relief to know that Uncle Sam will
consider the enlistment Of any married
man under the pretense that he is single
as fraudulent, and will cause his DIS
charge. 1t may also afford some grass
widows, dependent upon alimony pro-
ducing ex-husbands, some pleasure to
know that Uncle Sam will not take di-
vorced men.
Captain Detchmendy is of the opinion
that the ten volunteer regiments will be
filled by the Goth of this month, when he
will probably receive orders to close up
his recruiting offices. He expects by that
time to hav enlisted Montana's quota.
Lieutenant Green is in Helena and Lieu
tenant Heaton is at Great Falls, and their
reports show some enlistments daily. In
addition to the enlistments at the regular
branch recruiting stations the fact that
recruiting is going on in Montana is be-
coming known throughout the state and
the captain daily receives letters from
aspirants to a military life in the remote
towns. Many of these are from cowboys,
who wish to enter the cavalry, but Cap
tain Detchmendy has no authority to en-
list for this branch Of the service.
When the ten provisional regiments
have been filled the total enlistment in
the regular army and provisional volun-
teers, including the two veteran volun-
teer regiments raised in he Philippines,
will reach a trifle over $1,000 men.
Enlistment in the regular army began
about January l of this year. and ceased
about July 10. At that time 81, 900 recruits
had been added to the regular force,
which had been increased to the statutory
limits of G., goo men. With the provisional
regiments, or in all $500 men, the total
fighting force of Uncle Sam will be sc, 500.
The 81, 900 additional regulars were Sc
lected from 10000 APPLICANTS, which would
indicate that the government is some
what particular as to who shall do the
fighting. The provisional volunteer is
being subjected to very nearly as severe
an examination as the regular. about 1000
men having been accepted yesterday cut
of a total of over $1,000 applicants.