The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-04-28
NOT ENOUGH TROOPS
An Opinion Gaining Ground That
Otis Must Have More Men.

Washington, April 9G Maj. Gen.
Otis must have more troops in the
Philippines or he must cOnhne his oper-
ations to small zone about Manila.
This view of the case was accepted by
the president and the cabinet yester-
day. They discussed the question of
calling for volunteers, but reached no
conclusion, deciding TO wait until some
definite end has been accomplished
through the movements now in prog
rcss under Otis direction.
A detailed statement of the DISPOSE
tion of regular troops has been pre-
pared at the war department for the
president in connection with the prop
osition to raise the army of $4,000 vol
unteers or part of such for service in
the Philippines. The statement shows
that there are now in Cuba I. SOS troops
embraced in four regiments of cavalry,
one regiment of artillery and six rcgi-
mcnts of infantry. This force cannot
be spared for duty elsewhere, al
though there may be transfers
made between stations in Cuba
and Porto Rico or between Cuba
and home garrisons. 1t appears to be
lllt NltN III lilpNN VI hlkfl = hNf An'i'
that the force now in Cuba must be
kept there if order is to be maintained.
There are but 2,913 troops in Porto
Rico and fully this enlisted strength is
likely to be retained there always,
since the army must be represented in
the island, and "A smaller force would
be insignificant. There will be in Ma
Mia, when troops now under orders
reach the Philippines, few hundred
more than $4,000 men. This makes a
total of Al. $50 troops now on foreign
stations. Taking this strength from
the $1,000 which comprise the enlisted
force of the regulars at present and
the records should show that %, 900 men
are at home posts. But this does not
mean that there is that number of
soldiers of the fighting arms await
ing, fully equipped, at garrisons in
the United States. The 23, 900 includes
the large force of signal corps men,
hospital stewards, ordnance sergcants
and enlisted men of the engineers, as
well as the men at recruiting depots.
The troops on actual duty here can
hardly be spared for other services.
They are divided into detachments and
are guarding public property at aban'
doned army stations; they are looking
after the recruits; they are assisting in
the shipment of supplies, so that really
there are but four artillery regiments
manning coast dcfenses; four cavalry
regiments distributed throughout tn,
west in localities of possible troubl,
with the Indians and three infantry
regiments at home.
NEGRO SOLDIERS MAY RI ENrLoYED.
Washington, April ga proposition
to use negro troops to large extent il
future military operations in the Phil
ippincs is attracting much attention
and it is believed win be considered b,
the administration in the near future
Such n policy is urged ON the thcor,
that certain racial affiliations may b.
utilized i'm a way to defeat rebellion
acts ON the part of Aguinaldo and hi
party and to bring peace to the uewl,
acquired possessions of the Gnitc
States i'm the east Onc-third o
the population Of the Philippine
is negro and OF the sumo race ao tho,
of the United states. ami Whil, no
nunorou, about Manila. compriSy
nearly the entire population of some u
the islands. The advocates OF tn
scheme believe that, in shcrt tim,
there would he an assimilation bctwce
the negroes of the Philippines aud the
kindred from the United States, AN
that there would follow for IT,, colorc
people opportunities to get homes an
possibilities of careers they could nc
hone for in this country.