The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-24
RECRUITING SLOW.
Young Americans Want None Of McKin.
ley'S UnhOIy War.
FALSE STATEMENTS GIVEN OUT
10 Conceal from the People the True
State Of the Case.
THE PROOF THAT THEY ARE FALSE
Is to Be Found In the Records Of The War
Department.
THE ADMINISTRATION is USING BRIBERY
To Induce Men to Get Others to En-
list ms Privatcs in the
Philippines.
Is to Be Found in the Records Of The War
Department.
THE ADMINISTRATION IS USING BRlBER
To Induce Men to Get others to En-
list rs Privatcs in the
Philippines.
Especial to The Post.l


Washington, July 2S.-The henchmen
of the administration have been apologiz
ing about the slowness with which the
new regiments are receiving recruits. They
are trying to lay the blame on congress,
when congress had nothing to do with 1t.
They claim that this delay in filing up
the new regiments was owing to a failure
on the part of congress to make other
provisions for the retention of the regu-
lar army at $1,000, which made 1t neces-
sary to discharge about $1,000 of the reg
ulars and fill their places with new en-
lstments. That is positively incorrect.
1t is misstatement that has been trav-
cling the rounds of the partisan republic
can press, who have gleefully shouted to
the opponents of the administrations poll
icy: Now, what have you to say?"
The statement is false. 1t was made to
hide the fact that men are loath to en-
list in an army that is treated as the army
OF the United States is treated under this
administration. It was made to hide the
fact that the only men mustered out at
the close of hostilities We're mustered out
! because Mckinley promised them they
would be in order to get them to enlist In
the first place. The above statement was
| first made, substantially, in an interview
credited to Postmaster General Smith,
published two or three weeks ago. and
has been generally assumed to be correct
and widely commented on. Mr.. Smiths
paper, the Philadelphia Press, makes
similar statement editorially, and 1t Is
about time to puncture the le
The fact that congress provided expli-
city in the act approved March 2, 1899,
authority for the president TO maintain
the regular army at the maximum OF
65 900 enlisted men, and relieved the pres
i ident of the necessity, by reason of law
Of reducing the regular army when peace
with Spain was declared. No such whoie :
sale discharge of regular troops occurred
at the close of the Spanish war.
Postmaster General Smith, in his In
terview, is quoted as saying Ill response
TO criticisms based on there being no can
for volunteers: They do not know tAat
The army bill passed on the End of March
practically compelled the reorganization
of a new army, nearly a fourth as large
as that which was raised for the spanish
war. They do not know that under tie
law authorizing the creation OF the army
FIR the Spanish war all the regulars above
81 900. as well as all the volunteers, hal
10 be mustered out at the ratification OF
The peace treaty, and that, while the new
army bill provides for $1,000 men, the
whole number above $1,000 has to Dc
raised afresh'
He further says that 10000 men had tc
be enlisted on account of TINS state Oh Tue
law The law itself and the department
records show this 10 be inaccurate. Int
law that existed when the army was raised
for the Spanish war provided that me
maximum strength of the army-65, ooc
men-should not be maintained except IN
time OF war. II there had been no new
law the regular army would have mad &c
be- reduced 10 $1,000 when peace WIFI
Spain was declared. The act OF Mareh
1893, provided against that.
After providing the various details OF
organization the act says. That, TO meet
the present exIgencies Of the military
service. the president is hereby authorlzec
to maintain the regular army at stfeng 1
of not exceeding $4,000 enlisted men, to b.
distributed" ETC. 1t provides for the re-
tenticn or appointment OF oIieers' th'
continuance Of services etc. There wtr'
no discharges from the regular army, !
is ga d at tho department, on account o
any proyisicn or lack of provision in thu
, law fer he continuance of the regular
, ! in the service. The law under which III
army was originally enlarged provide
fer three-year terms Of enlistment. Their
we're number of discharges from the reg
Mar army at the close of the war, bu
: this was not on account oil any law
lack OF law, but was in fulfllment Of
nromise made by the president at tn
time of their enlistment. The exact mum
bar If discharges under this promise i
NOT easily got at. but It is estimated a
The department that there were probahl
4, moo or IL. 900 in ALL apd II is said tina
ali or nearly all so discharged Immediate
4 " re-enlisted. They were discharged an
mis- formalty being necessary TO secuf