The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1899-07-06
Postmaster General Smith, Inter-
viewed Regarding the Philip
pine Situation,
Points Ont Some Things Which
He Says Are Not Gener-
ally Known.
Reorganization of the Army Car.
ried on With Expedition and
Judgment.

New York, July ga special to
The World from Washington states
| that in response to request for an in
terview on the Philippine situation,
Postmaster General Charles Emory
! Smith said:
"The situation in the Philippines is
the most important and absorbing
public question just at present. am
we'll aware that there is some restless
ness on. the matter and in some quarters
no little impatience. There is notion
that the administration should have
been more energetic and when the Fill
pinos prolonged their warfare should
have called for and sent forward more
troops. But those who make this critic
ism do not know that the administra-
ton has recruited nearly 1000 men a
week right straight along since con-
gress adjourned on March 4th. They
do not know that with these recruits
and with the re-enlistments, force Of
nearly 40, ZOO men has been raised with
in that time. y
s'They do not know that the army
bill which passed on March practical
~ compelled the reorganization of a
new army nearly fourth as large as
that which was raised for the
Spanish war. They do not know
that under the law authorizing the Gre
alton of the army for the Spanish war,
all the regulars above $4,000, as well as
all of the volunteers, had to be mus
tered out at the ratification of the peace
treaty, and that while the new army
bill provides for force of e5. 900 men,
the whole number above $4,000 had to
be raised afresh. -.
"On the ratification of peace with
Spain, the presidents problem was to
reconstruct the army up to the maxi
mum number of regulars permitted,
Is, 900 men. He began that work imme-
diately.
about 10000 men have now been
added to the force, and of the recruits
fully 70 per cent were in the service
during the Spanish war. This fact sig
mites two things:
''First-That those who served had
no terrors from what they had gone
through and were ready to serve again.
''Second-That the force thus recruit
ed was Injured to esservice and able to
stand its hardships.
Besides, no married man is taken.
The highest physical standard is en-
forced. No person applying with any
physical defect or weakness is accepted.
In this way the largest efficiency is OBJ
tanned. 1t might have been possible to
call for volunteers, to have rush, to
have put them into camp, to have had
the hurry and the possibilities of mis-
take which came with the action at the
beginning of the Spanish war; but even
if this had been done, troops could not
have been actually sent to the Philip
pines faster than they have been, and
they would not have been anything like
as effective.
"Within two weeks, 1000 additional
men will be in the Philippines or on
their way, and by Aug. /, before the
close of the rainy season, there will be
S5, 200 regulars or more at the disposal
of Otis; and with this force he will GER
tainly be able to cope with the situa-
ton. If there should be need for more
by September, they viii be there.
General Otis has managed affairs in
the Philippines with skill and judg-
ment. He has never indicated belief
that he needed more tLan 80, 900 effect
i've troops. .r 1900. .ss..-s
l"There is,no trouble in the Philip
pines outside the island Of Luzon. Ag-
sgressive fighting is now restricted fol-
about three months, because of the