Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-03-02
10Th KANSAS THRIFTY.
SOLDIER BOYS SAVE MONEY AT
MANILA.
Paymaster Sternberg Tells Of the
Good Qualities Of the Kansas
Troops Allowance at Their Dis.
Charge.

Perhaps the most interesting letters
concerning the financial side Of the
Kansas troops trip to the Philippines
are those Of Paymaster Theo. Stern
berg. He is well known here though his
home is Ellsworth. He used to work
on the Daily Gazette initspalmy days
and has Judged several poultry shows.
He is brother of Surgeon General
Sternberg and was made paymaster
of the Twentieth Kansas. He writes:
There is not regiment here the
equal Of our Twentieth Kansas. 1t
excels in marching, discipline and
the manual of arms. 1t has the low
est sick list and has broken the re-
cord in another way. From the Jan.
uary payment the regiment has out
Of its pay deposited with the pay de-
partment and sent home over $50, 600.
| As | handled the most Of this money
and paid the regiment, | speak by
the card When | told General H. q.
Otis, who commands the brigade in
which the Twentieth is, be was
greatly pleased and is now calling
the attention Of the other generals TO
the great saving Of the Twentieth.
Company M alone saved over $4,000.
! am very proud Of the Kansas.
Large numbers Of Kansans, as
they do all through the army, wish
TO stay here when their army service
Is over. am within bounds when |
place the number Of volunteers who
wish to stay at 1000 Of our best men.
1t is absolutely essential to America
that these islands be settled by as
many Of our young men as possible
Now these men wish to be discharged
here in Manila, with travel allowan-
ces the same as is regular when his
enlistment expires, or like any sold
lei discharged for physical disability.
Let me explain: A private soldier
discharged at Manila, or any other
place, is paid so cents for every TWEEN
| ty miles between the point Of dis
charge and the place Of enlistment.
Now, in case Of volunteer regiments,
| it has been the custom to send the
regiments home and there discharge
the men. A soldier wishing to 60 in
to business in the Philippines, II his
regiment is ordered home to muster
out, is under present conditions, com
PEELED to 90 home with his regiment,
be mustered out, and then find his
way back to these islands, at great
Expense, and many who would be Of
great use here could not return on
account of the expense. These men
are in the Philippines now, and those
who wish to stay ought not to be
taken home against their wishes.
There is another military reason
why the government should offer in.
ducements to our soldiers to remain
in the islands, Each soldier who
stays here Is one of the military re-
serve and adds one to the real
strength Of the army of occupation
a trained soldier, an acclimated man,
he is worth many civilians as an Gle.
ment Of strength to the army.
"The travel pay will constitute the
soldiers capital upon which he will
subsist while getting his business on
its feet. do hope our Kansas dele
cation in congress will be true to the
pioneer instincts Of Kansas, and take
hold Of this matter and see TO it that
our volunteers obtain this, their re.
asonable wish. Those who wish to
return here are ready to submit to
any proper test to demonstrate their
sincerity. They will consent to con-
tinuing in the service here a reasona'
bic time after their regiments 60
home, or will organize battalions Of
national guards and regularly enlist
in such organization. Help them"
Estimating the distance from Man
lila to Topeka at 10000 miles, it Is
found that each Kansas soldier would
receive $40 as travel pay and this is
the sum Major Sternberg counts on
to start the discharged soldier in civil
life.
Ranfars Ara Rnuinq EARNS.