The sun., 1899-07-14
A Popular War.

The recruiting for the ten new volunteer
regiments is going on throughout the
Union with extraordinary rapdity. The
regular army was filed up TO the maximum
allowed by law without difficulty, and If all
those now Offering themselves for enlist
ment in the volunteer. service were accepted
by the recruiting officers five times the
number Of troops authorized could be OBJ
tanned promptly. AS 1t Is, sufficient quail
fled recruits are being enlisted daily to
assure Il full complement for the volunteer
regiments before their services are,needed
in the Philippines. In those islands them
selves the recruiting among troops whose
term Of enlistment has expired is encourage
ing also.
1t has been said in the newspapers en-
gagged in efforts to elnbarrass the mill
tary operations of their country that the
war in the Philippines, or rather the
movement to put down the Aguinaldo
insurrection, is not popular. The results
of the recruiting in every part Of the Union
whore it is going on, it will be seen, do not
support that view. The crowds OF men
seeking enlistment are inspired wholly by a
desire to participate in the military opera
tiOns in the Philippines, and included in
the number are many soldiers who saw
service in the war with Spain. This rush Of
recruiting, too, is not taking place in the
first flush OF excitement at the beginning Of
IA war when the experiences before an army
are imaginary only in the minds of those
seeking enlistment. but after severe mill
tary operations have gone on for more than
u year and the country is full OF returned
soldiers who have endured their hardships
and can tell OF them from actual expert
ence. 1t is occurring, too. at a time when
an organized attempt is made by con-
temptible faction to prevent enlistments
by exaggerating the actually great hard
ships of a campaign in the Philippines and
when the determination Of the Government
to maintain its authority there against an
insurrectionary band is denounced as a
wicked assault on noble patriot
Everything has been done by the allies
Of the treacherous and mercenary Filipino
insurgcnt to make the war odous in the
eyes Of the people, both for political pur-
poses and to crafty the malice OF the
"anti-imperialistc" gang but how can we
explain the crowds at tho recruiting sta
tions except on tho theory that 1t is sup
ported by popular enthusiasm II, in
stead OF ten new volunteer regiments, one
hundred had been called for and required
they would have been filled up promptly.
The popular criticism, SO far as there
is any faultfinding, is of Gen. Otis for
not asking for o larger force than that
which he finds he can actually employ ef-
fectively, and 1t Is due to the popular de-
termination to support the President to the
last in demanding absolute submission to
our authority as the only condition Of peace.
Outside of the paltry faction OF "anti-im-
perialists" having their headquarters at
Boston, there is no thought Of yielding un-
til that end is accomplished, no matter how
great may be the army required in the
Philippines.
AGUINALDo. as a recent speech by him
indicates, is relying wholly on the assist
ance to be offered him by that wretched
crew, but it will not be long before he dis
covers the vanity Of his hopes. Politicians
here who are looking forward desperately
to making political capital out Of the strain
of the campaign for his subjection will find,
next year, that their banking on American
cowardiee and rresolution was not less dis
aStrOuS. Inc Dcmocratlc party made an
experiment Of the sort in S64, witl4esults
of which everybody knows.
The inevitable determination of tho Amer
lean peopleto sustain the national authority
in the Philippines, at whatever cost, as
manifested 50 strkingly at the recruiting
offices to-day, assures the overthrow of the
| prctender, who has only small fraction OF
| the inhabitants OF single island of the
| Philippines with him. II will come so soon
after the season for active campaigning
again opens that at the next Presiden-
| tial election the American people will
celebrate and confirm their victory in
arms by a peaceful victory at the polls OF
the policy which has sustained American
honor and prowess so triumphantly.
| Immigration.