Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-04-06
PRcy1sloNALs ~ ys.T Be NEEDED
IF Aguinald Hold. Out Enlistment.


of New Volunteers ,s Probable.
Kansas City, April 4-'the Stars
Washington correspondent says:
After the cabinet meeting Wcdues~
day the president, Acting Secretary
Meiklejohn and General Corbn had Il
conference. 1T was given out that the
provisional volunteer force of 5000
enlisted men authorized by the army
reorganization act would not be or
ganized for the present The regular
army now numbers g. 200 mer as the
result of rapid recruiting. This in-
Gludes the men in the service who en-
listed during hostilities and have the
privilege of muster out when peace is
formally dcclarsA There are some of
these men in three of the regiments in
the Philippines. The regiments which
have been sent recently or are under
orders are full TIC the maNimum with
three-year men. In he regular regi-
1nents in Cuba there are some soldiers
entitled TO muster out as soon as the
war is over. The war department does,
not know how many OF these legi-
ments will exercise the right of dis
charge, but is confident that there will
be enough recruits 10 fill the regiments
to the maximum with enlisted men,
three-year men.
The organization of Cubhus in Cuba
and of Puerto Ricans in their island is
expected to reduce the garrisons OF
American regulars there to a few llou-
sand. OF course. the question of call
ing for $4,000 volunteers win remain
of necessity an open question. 1T
Aguinaldo and his forces capitulate
soon there will hardly be amy need OF
these volunteers, but it that campaign
is to be indefinitely continued and OPP
erations extended northward through
out the island of Luzoil, it is ineyitablc
that volunteer reinforeeinents will be
demanded. General COrbin believes
that the present indications are
against the recruiting of the $4,000
volunteers. He says that the secretary
of war has reported from Cuba tflat
the regular troops would be ample to
preserve order in the island and that
the entire volunteer force there could
with safety be mustered out ifnnedi
ately. Reports in the Philippines. ac-
cording to the adiutant general, are
satisfactory in their tenor and give
reason for the belief that the cam
cluded. In such case before the be-
the volunteers in the Philippines COULD
be sent home and with the addition OF
the 1000 regulars OH their way and
under orders to Manila General Otis
would have force sufficient to con-
serve order and carry out the policy OF
the administration.
Other officers of the war department.
expressed the opinion that in a few
weeks the administration would admit
the necessity of mastering in the vol
unteer regiments provided by con-
gress. 1t was pointed out that CASUAL
ties in the forces in the Philippines
had been large and that the Troops
fighting under the tropic sun were
steadily being weakened in efficiency.
A few more weeks of campaigning
would, it is said, necessarily greatly
increase the invalid list and compel
the substitution of fresh men for those
invaded. 1t was pointed out that
garrisons of the United States are de-
pleted already of troops of the regular
army, in order to furnish reinforce.
ments for Cuba and the Philippines
and to take the place OF the volunteers
now being mustered out in the West
Indies and to reinforce General Otis at
Manila. If military operations are to
commune IL is 1elt DN many prominent
officers that the president will be
forced to take advantage of the pro-
vision of the law authorizing him to
enlist $4,000 volunteers to serve until
July Il, 1901. While it is known that
the president is disinclined to admit
the necessity for this addition to the
army, it is believed that the course of
events in the Philippines will compel
the organization of volunteer force
unless events within the next ten days
show a collapse of the rebellion and
the destruction or surrender of .Aguin-
aldo's forces
In the meantime, according to re-
ports made to the adiutant general.
the recruiting of the regular army to
the maximum of 65 700 is steadily pro.
crossing and has reached within
about 5000 of the prescribed limit. 1t
is expected that the remainder will he
reached within ten days or two weeks
Quite large proportion of the young
men who present themselves as re
crnits are from those who have becu
i'm the volunteer army and the expert
ence which they have had qualities
them to take their places at once ir
the ranks