The National tribune., 1899-07-06

give Gen. Otis sufficient additional men
raise his force available for active field operi
tions to 10000 men. This means that he wi
have from 10000 B $4,000 men all told. H
will and should have enough to securely ga
rison all the strategic points in the island:
which ought to take about 10000 men. Hi
sick, detached men, land other drafts upon hi
movable columns will account for about 10, 90
more. Until the rebellion utterly collapse
he will need an unusual number of guards
for every train, every warehouse, and ever.
bridge must be regarded as liable to attack
and have enough men to repulse strong as
sault
The Regular Army has been filled up to it
maximum strength Of Is, 900, exclusive of tn
Hospital Corps of about 1000, which it wa
decided did not come within the legal limita
tons, and need not be counted. Only the
infantry, artillery, cavalry, and engineers
need be counted in the $1,000. Enlistments in
the Regular Army have been going on in the
most satisfactory way at the 10 recruiting
stations scattered throughout the country
about 1000 acceptable recruits being received
every week. AS only enough OF these are now
needed to fill up the vacancies caused by dis
charges, it was decided to turn the surplus
into force of 10000 men to be raised under
the section of the law permitting the raising
these will only be for two years,-until July l,
1901,-when the volunteer clause will expire
by legal limitation. These additional regi-
mcnts will be organized on the plan success
fully adopted for the immunes. The first
three regiments will be formed by re-enlist-
mcnts of the volunteers now serving in the
Philippines, and their officers will be Regu-
lars officers and non-commissioned officers
recommended by Gen. Otis. The remaining
regiments will be organized and officered di-
rectly from Washington, with preference for
men and officers who have served in the Span
ish war. No State organizations will be ac-
cepted as such.
This decision, while it has many good fea-
lures, has some that are not THE Ma
TIONAL TRIBUNE has always strongly be-
lieved that some system should be adopted
which would give the National Guard in each
State an active participation in all our warlike
operations. In the first place this would give
dignity, strength and honor to our National
Guard, which would greatly enhance its value
as National arm. 1t would help immensely
to make the guardsmen feel that they were real
soldiers and an actual reserve 10 the Regular
Army. Itwould assist strongly to educate our
people at large as TO the conditions and people
in our newly acquired possessions, and lastly
it would be potent element in Americanizing
and assimilating those countries. because a
large number of each regiment doing tour OF
duty beyond the seas would spy out the ad-
vantages the islands offer to enterprising
young men, settle there upon receiving their
discharges, get the business of the country
firmly in their hands, and become bulwark OF
American power. Every young American
settling there will directly diminish the
strength Of future gafrisons needed, for he will
gather around him nucleus of natives whom
he will train up more or less thoroughly in
American ways, and use them very effectively
against disturbers of the peace Paymaster
Sternberg reports that already 1000 volun-
in the Philippines. This means very potent
American element entering at once into the
Philippine affairs -Four thousand vigorous
young Americans taking root there, means
Immediately around them seven or eight times
as many within the next five years. They
will send for the girls they intend TO marry, and
for their own brothers, and the brothers OF their
wives. The Philippines will become as closely
knit. to us by family ties as our own East and
West are.
The main trouble now is that large pro-
portion Of the National Guard are so situated
in business and family matters that they are
reluctant to leave home for an extended period
OF service. This might be obviatcd by some
thing like the British system of allowing one
battalion to remain at home "at the depot"
while the other two are abroad. Men and
officers who do not wish foreign service could
be concentrated in the depot battalion" while
the footloose ones would make up the other
two. The people of each State would feel
strong local interest in their military repre-
sentatives beyond the seas. which would have
most beneficial influence. Recruits could be
easily gotten from the neighborhood to keep
the ranks full, and the National Guard would
become an integral part of our National
military establishment. The best features of
the volunteer and regular systems would be
thus happily combined. That this could be
done is shown by offers from nearly every
State of any number OF volunteers for service in
the Philippines that may be required. Some
way should be found to give the National
Guard organizations the benefit of experience
in service beyond the seas. Our National
strength is in our citizen soldiers, and we
should encourage in every way possible the
National Guard. which is the organized ex-
preston of Cur military spirit
THE Annual Encampment Of the Depart
ment of Washington and Alaska adopted very
severe resolutions against Henry Clay Evans.
Only one member attempted to defend the
Commissioner, and he gave it IN yery U,icl,ly