Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-04-06
THE REGULAR ARMY
The MASTERING IN OF VOLUNTEERS.
No Intention OF Bringing Forward Thls
Question at Prssent-A Statement OF
the Regimenta Under Orders
for the Philippines.

Washington, March 30. The follow.
ing was posted at the war department
yesterday:
Recruiting for the regular army is progress.
Ing satisfactorily, both In numbers and high
class Of youn men Offering. Returns received
by the adjutant general up to the close Of yes
terday show the enlisted strength as being
over 62OOO-within less than 1900 of the
maximum-which, at the present rate Of 60.
llstment, will be reached within ten days
1t is stated at the war department
that the subject OF mastering in 81, 600
volunteers has not been mentioned to
the president either by Acting Secre-
tary Of War Meiklejohn or Adjt Gen.
COrbin. There is no intention to bring
forward this question at the present
time, as with the troops already or
dered to Manila, and which ii will take
some months to transport thither.
Gen. Otis has all the forces necessary
to accomplish what is desired Of him
in the Philippines.
1t is stated at the war department
that the grea test demand Tor the Or
ganizati0n Of the $4,000 volunteers
comes from the men and friends OF
men who desire places a. officers
There are already many applications
on file and not only men who served
With the state troops, but these who
have served I'm staff positions and have
been mustered ont are anxious to
again enter the service. The axthori.
sative announcement has BEEN made
that the president will not organize
This provisional army unless it is need
sd So far there is no demand from
Zen. Otis for more troops than arsnow
ID their way to Manila. His last cali
vas for three batteries OF light srtil-
erv. These were placed atonce under
orders for Manila and are on their way
% San Francisco They will sail
lbout April l6
Those who insist that the provision
u army must be organized say tfsat
hey have information from the Philip
,ines which indicates that volunteer
Irmy cannot be enlisted for six
months, as provided foB in the bill,
rom the volunteers who will be mus
cred out when the ratificstions, of
,eace are exchanged. 1t is claimed
hat these volunteers will demand
transportation home at once, and that
here will not be enough regulars in
he Philippines to carry on the war
With the Filipinos.
Adjt- Gen. Copbin says that informa-
ion received direct from Gen. Otis is
o the effect that the volunteer troops
low in the Philippines have remon-
trated against being sent home while
he active operations are in progress
len. Otis said that the volunteers had
,atriotieally declined to take advan-
age of that privilege, and had ex-
pressed the desire to continue in serv-
ce as long as there was any fighting
o be done. He added that they were
n excellent health and spirits and
we're rendering most efficient service.
A statement prepared at the war de-
'artment in regard to the regiments
nder orders and en- route to the Phil
ppines shows as follows: The Twelfth
Infantry and four companies of the
seventeenth infantry on the transport
meridian, now nearing Manila, head
uarters and six companies of the
Ninth infantry left San Francisco
iareh ga; six other companies of the
ninth infantry will leave the same
ort in day or two; the Sixth artil-
cry will leave its present station
lpril Is; the Twenty-6rst infantry
5ill leave its present station April Is,
nd the Sixth infantry, Thirteenth in
antry and Sixteenth infantry, and
ght battery F, First artillery; +,
'ourth artillery, and n. Fifth artil-
cry, are all under orders to prepare
Or transportation to Manila by way
I San Francisco and will be forward
d as fast as troopships can be secured
Or the long voyage across the Pacific.
'hese troops number about 10000 in
Il, and their arrival at Manila will
realty strengthen the fighting force
Gen. Otis.