Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-06-29

VIII Aggregate 10000 Men and Ag-
erosion VIII Be the Order of the Day
No State Organizations To Be Accepted
for service-An Soldiers Will BE United
States Volunteers.
Washington. June 29.-Secretary AL
ger, Adjutant General Corbin and
Colonel Bird assistant quartermaster
general in charge of transportation,
had an hours consultation with the
president yesterday relative to the ques-
ton of reinforcements for General Otis.
A definite decision has been reached to
continue recruiting men at all the re-
cruitfng stations for service in the Phil
ippines, and Secretary Alger said when
he left the White House after the con-
ference that General Otis would have
10000 men when the rainy season
closed, for a resumption of active OPP
erations. There are seventy recruiting
stations in the United States. and en-
nstments are to be taken at all of these
stations. The enlistments are to be for
service in the regular army. and re-
cruits are TO be organized in the regi-
ments or assigned in regiments al
ready formed after enlistment. No or
CARNATIONS as such are to be accepted
il sufficient recruits can be obtained by
regular enlistment.
Rest for Aggressive Campaigning.
General COrbin said the enlistmentS
would be for three years, although the
law for the creation of the provisional
army of $4,000 in excess of the regular
army of $1,000 provides only for such
force until 1901. Arrangements are to
be made at once for increasing the
transportation necessary to get these
additional troops to the Philippines.
The decision to reinforce General Otis
by the end of the rainy season is inter-
preted to mean that aggressive cam
paigning will cease until the bad wealth
er ends. Until that time our operations
will probably be confined to occasional
excursions to places in close vicinity to
our lines, where the insurgents may
have congregated in force. By remain
ing quiescent under good shelter during
the rainy season it is hoped the health
Of our troops will be conserved.
Chance for More Volunteers.
Later in the day 1t was definitely de-
eided to begin the enlistments for the
volunteer service under the act of the
FAST congress. The reports 60 the adju-
tant general, based on the reports of the
recruiting officers and on close esti-
mates as to the number of soldiers in
the Philippines and in each command IN
Cuba and Porto Rico, show that the
regular army is up to its full author
lied strength. The additional soldiers
needed must be obtained under that
section of the law authorizing the en-
listment of volunteers. Volunteers will
not be accepted in organizations. Sec
rotary Alger is determined to adhere to
that rule. Looking over the act of con-
gresshe has concluded that the authorize
ton to raise these volunteer troops lat
large" indicates purpose on the part
Of congress to follow out the plan sue
cessfully operated in the case of the
immune regiments.
Will Disregard State Lines.
1t is the present purpose to disregard
state and local lines in securing the
recruits and welding them into organi-
cations. Regiments will be designated
the First. Second, Third, etc, Volunteer
United States infantry or cavalry. No
difficulty is anticipated in securing the
men needed. Officers for these voIun-
teer regiments will be obtained by pro-
noting officers now in the regular army
and by commissioning many of the best
officers of the volunteer organizations
which saw service.