The evening times., 1899-10-19

Assistant Secretary of War Meiklejohn,
when asked as to the truth of the. report
circulated in certain quarters to the ef-
feet that the soldiers whose terms of serv-
ice had expired at Manila, and who would
not re-enlist, were left on their resources.
said:
This is not so. The statement is not
report that reflects, as this one does, on
,he humanity of the Government and the
Administration, even for campaign pur-
poses.
Il do not know from what source this
report emanated, but from whatever source
1T came, the facts do not substantiate it.
Why should the Government seek to CO.
cree men to re-eniist, when, as has been
demonstrated within the past ninety days,
il can get all the men it needs for service
in the Philippines? The returns show that
up TO October II, 3,09l men had been en-
listed for service in the Philippines, and,
approximately speaking, $4,000 men re-
jected.
No government has ever treated the
private soldier with as much Difference or
has been as solicitous for his personal vel
fare as is the Government of the United
States. There is a reason for this. Our
army is recruited from the farm, the work
shop. the counting room, and the mer
chants counter. The American soldier is
a representative American citizen, who
serves his country when his country calls
because be is a patriot. And | take this
occasion To pay tribute to his patriotism,
courage. zeal. and devotion TO duty.
Nov. as to soldiers being left on their
own resources, the law is very clear, eX-
plicit. and imperative on this point. Sec
tion Is. act Of January %, 1913 provides:
Thar whenever any officer or soldier shall be dis
charged from the service except by way OF punish
ment for an offence, he shall be allowed his pay
and ratioBs. equivalent in money, for such
term Of time s3ali be sufficient for hlm 10
travel from the place Of discharge 10 the place OF
his residence, cUmpnting al the rate of twenty
miles 10 day.
THE Second Comptroller, in a decision
dated July Z, 1868 said:
A soldier honoTably discharged has a right
under the law TO an immediate payment OF his
pay and TatiOns equivalent III money Tor
such term 4 time shall be sufficient for him TO
travel from the place of discharge TO the place
Of lis residence. computing at the rate of twenty
miles 10 day. Ii Is part OF his contract Of en-
lslmeut, and must be paid; i he under
obligation 10 perform the travel is he shall choose
10 re-enliSt TO sSay where he NAV be when dis
charged. The Government has fulfilled its obliga-
tlOns when IL has paid him. and the soldier Is not
responsible 10 the Government for The use he
may make of this money.
General Orders No 81, by direction of
the Secretary of War, dated March -, 1899,
are as follows:
ofcors and soldiers discharged under this or
de. Viii Toe entitled travel allowances for the
land travel involved from the place of their dis
charge 10 the place of their enlistment For the
Sea travel, the specific orders issued by the COM
mandIHg generals Of the departments for the dis
charge Of officers Will state in each that the
officer i entitled 10 free transportation and sub
slsieuce any United States transport leaving
the island for the United States within year
from the date Of the discharge When tIanspOr-
tation OF subsistence is furnished such orders
the fact viii be noted thereon, and also on the
discharge certificate by the quartermaster.
Paragraph of General Orders No. Sc,
issued May l9, 1899, by direction of the
Secretary OF War, reads as follows:
An enlisted nan, a resident Of the United
States, serving in the islands mentioned in para
graph hereof. who Is discharged from the seTY-
ice; or on his own application. whether by way of
favor OF 10y purclase; because Of confinement
ment Tor an offence; by disability caused by his
own conduct, or On account Of fraudulent en-
llStment, Is by the operation Of section 1890
Revised Statutes, and the act Of March l6. 1895
t2s STAT. Large G5), prevented from being al
lowed the usual travelling allowances To the place
Of hls enlistment. enrolment, CT original muster
into the service, but lie viii be brought by the
Government 10 the United States on a transport
: free of charge
so much for the charge that discharged
soldiers have been abandoned by their
Government 1000 miles from homes to
their own resources. Such a thing could
not happen, and never will happen