The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-06-29
VOLUNTEERS FOR Otis,
70 Increase the Philippines Army
to Forty Thousand Men.
ENL1sTMENTs TO BEGIN AT ONCE.

Volunteers win Not Be Accepted in
Organizations, But State and Local
Lines WIN Be Disregsrded-The Reg.
ular Army Up to Its Fall Strength
Washington, June 29.-Secretary Al
ger, Adjutant General Cosbin ana
Colonel Bird, assistant quartermaster
general in charge Of transportation.
had an hours consultation with the
president yesterday relative to TINS
question of reinforcements for General
Otis. A definite decision has been
reached to continue recruiting men at
all the recruiting stations for service
in the Philippines, and Secretary Alger
said when he left the White House.
after the conference. that General Otis
would have 10000 men when the rainy
season closed for resumption OF ac-
tive operations.
There are 70 recruiting stations In
the United States, and enlistments are
to be taken at all of these stations.
Recruits are to be organized into regs
ments or assigned to regiments already
formed after enlistment. Arrange
ments are to be made at once for IN
creasing the transportation necessary
to get these additional troops to tho
Philippines.
1t was definitely decided to begin
the enlistments for the volunteer SER
vice under the act of the last con-
gress. The reports to the adjutant
general show that the regular army
ia I'D to its full authorized strength.
The additional soldiers needed must
he obtained under that section OF the
act of congress authorizing the enlist
ment of volunteers. The only excep-
tion will be in the case of the few
enlistments that will be made from
time to time to fill gaps in the regular
army caused by casualties and by the
expiration of enlistments. The ofhcers
scattered among the principal cities OF
the country who have been enlisting
regulars only will be instructed i'm
mediately to prepare to enlist volun~
teers. The present indications are that
about 0,OOO men will be wanted.
Volunteers will not be accepted In
organizations. Secretary Alger is de-
termined to adhere to. that rule. Look
ing over the act Of congress, he mas
concluded that the authorization to
raise these volunteer troops at large
, indicates a purpose on the part OF con-
eress to follow out the plan success
fully operated in the case-of the I'M
mune regiments 1t is the present pur-
pose to disregard state and local lines
! in securing the recruits and welding
them into organizations.
No difficulty is anticipated IN Sc
curing the men needed. 1t ls DelieVed
that the 1000 men who are weekly Of
fering themselves at the recruiting
offices will be even more wiling 10
enter the army as two year volunteers
than as long term regulars.
Officers for these volunteer regi-
ments will be obtained by promoting
officers now in the regular army and
by commissioning many of the best
officers of the volunteer organizations
which saw service. The war depart
ment has carefully preserved the rec
ords of these officers, and has at hapas
long list of such Of them IN
hibited soldierly and ORGANISM the
tiles. .uSHa9Apr1l next
General Otis hass.s,s "sir Julian
partment thai Iland after the copfrs-
ganizationsI I6ber, unless ths .:ments
which it I'm to Washipstrsfse In the
Philippinescfos. 4 Co'slar department
this is,, Hi to mean that General Otis
has the officers for these regiments Sc
lected, and that they are ready to be
allied with enlisted men. How many
of these can be secured from the vol"
unteer regiments now in the Philip
pines is not known. 1t is stated at
the war department that the recruits
now being enlisted at the rate OF l,00o
week cannot be used for the vol
unteer army, but it would be an easy
matter to transfer these men. with their
own consent to the volunteer service.
The decision to reinforce General
Otis by the end of the rainy season is
interpreted to mean that aggressive
campaigning will cease until the bad
weather ends. Until that time our
operations will probably be confined
to occasional excursions to places IN
close proximity to our lines. where the
insurgents may have congregated IN
force. BY remaining quiescent under
good shelter during the rainy season
it is hoped the health of our troops
will be conserved and the danger from
| climatic fevers reduced to minimum.