The times., 1899-12-28
ALL WOULD Be CHAPLAINS
A Thousand Candidates for Twenty
Four Army Vacancies.
An Unprecedented Rush to Get Into
tI,e Serviee-A Number of Reforms
Contemplated by the War Depart
acknowledgements at Posts to BE
AboIished-To Go with Regiments.

The announcement made a short time ago
that Congress is to be asked by the Secre-
tary of War to provide twenty -four new
chaplains for the volunteer regiments re-
Gently raised, has resulted in flood of ap-
plications for the position of chaplain
pouring into the War Department. 1t is
stated that there are now on file over 1.C00
applications for the positions. Each appli-
cation is accompanied by endorsements,
and the papers on file weigh several hun
dred pounds. and fill several cabinets.
With the proposed reorganization in sew
eral branches of the Army it is said the
chaplain branch viii also be changed in
several respects. One of the principal
changes talked Of is that of aboIishing the
position of post chaplain and assigning all
chaplains to regiments. This change is
said TO be necessary because large ma
jority of the troops are now in the field in
the Philippines. and it is desirable that the
chaplains should be with them
If a chaplain is assigned to a regiment he
Will naturally follow that regiment where
ever it is ordered.
1t Is also urged that q chaplain when as
signed to a regiment, will soon become aC-
quainted with all the men in it, and his In
fiuence will be much greater than at pres
ent, when the chaplains are assigned to
posts. where the regiments are constantly
changing. According TO Army officers who
give credit TO many OF the chapIains for be.
ing conscientious and deserving men, the
Army has been looked upon as a snap for
chaplains, and good place to draw 81, soc
a year and later to retire on three -fourths
OF captains pay, or about $l700
Many of the chaplains. in the past are
said to have been appointed after they were
fifty years of age and after serving eight
or ten years were retired on account OF age
In Teorgsnizing the chaplains' branch of
the Army it is said that an age limit Ct
thirty years will be fixed and that no one
over that age viii in future be appointed
a chaplain. Extraordinary care is also to
be used in selecting the chaplaiEs in fu-
ture in order that only energetic your &
men who are conscientious and desirous
OF performing the duties viii secure the
appointments.
Since the troops have been in the Phil
ippines the officials of the War Depart
ment say that a number Of the chaplains
who have been ordered to the Philippines
have made various excuses for not want
ing to go there, and that some OF them
have asked TO be retired
A prominent Army officer in speaking
Of his experience with Army chaplains
said:
When I was stationed in the wilds Of
Arizona the chaplain assigned to my com
mand was absent three years on sick
leave. At the expiration of each leave
granted the chaplain made affidavit that
he was sick and unable to perform the
duties OF his Office Some time afterward
I was passing near this chaplain's home
and remarked what a beautiful place he
had I was told that he took great pri e
in his place, and besides experimenting
the work did great deal of work himself
in the orchard and fields surrounding his
home and still for three years be had been
too sick to perform his duties at the Army
post
At present there are thirty-four chap
lains in inc Army. Thirty Of these are
post ehaplains and four Of them regimentaI
chaplalns; the last four are attached TO
the four regiments OF colored soldiers,
which they follow wherever they are or
dered.