Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-07-17
WOULD FIGHT
AGAINST CHINA
OFFICERS OF MONTANA VOL.
UNTEERS READY TO ANSWER
COUNTRY'S CALL.
PATRIOTIC UTTERANCES OF
MEN OF PROVEN COURAGE
Favor Large Force and Decisive Cam
paign-value of Philippines as
a Base of Supplies.

The terrible news that comes from
across the western seas of the atrocities
of Prince Tuan and his fanatical fol-
! lowers has stirred the martial spirit of
those who fought in the Spanish Ameri-
can war, and should President Mckinley
and his advisors deem it expedient to
issue a call for volunteers to fight with
the powers, which is not improbable. the
response from Montana will be prompt
. and patriotic. 1t will come from the
threats of a thousand mountain men,
seasoned by trying experiences on the
tented field, n skilled in those accom-
plishments which go to make the SOL
der.
With the idea of crystalizing soldier
sentiment with reference to this mat
ter a representative of the Inter Noun
tain called on a number of the ex-offi-
! GERS of the LIST Montana volunteers and
the rough rider troops this morning..
Many of the men who distinguished
themselves in the Philippine campaign
are out of the city, but it is safe to say
thai those who were found voiced the
sentiment of 80 per cent of their COM
rades. In opinion those who talked were
a unit, and the presidents call will hnd
them ead
A gallant field officer who served dur
! ing the entire Philippine campaign, n
| whose name is withheld for family rea-
sons, and whose reputation for personal
| courage excelled that of any other COM
missioned officer in the regiment. said
| he would be glad to go. Il am OF the
F, opinion said he, that a very large pro-
portion of the men who served with the
1st Montana will respond to the first
call. AS for myself, I simply could not
miss the opportunity
Captain E: w. Whine, who commanded
G company in the Philippine campaign,
modestly said he would like very much
to be given the opportunity to serve with
the American army that may pc sent TO
| china "In my Judgment" said he, "a
call for volunteers is almost Imperative.
There seems to be no other course open
for the administration. We AVE barely
enough men to do garrison duty at home,
and nom too many in the islands. ! would
like to see the president sind 100, 900 mel
to China. I don't believe in sending out
a small number of men to be slaughter
ed, because the war that is coming will
be a merciless fight and we could not
afford to allow a people as devoid of hui
name instincts as the Chinese to gain
even temporary advantages.
"In the event of trouble the Philippine
islands would prove an excellent base OF
supplies for us, in fact we could not get
along without them.
an the matter OF transporting troops
and in the organization of it's commissary
department the government would profit
nv the experiences of the Amer
lean war and there would be no repeti-
ton OF the disastrous mistakes of two
years ago"
Lieutenant E. S. Paxson of G company.
who was invalided home, said he would
be pleased to go if he could pass the
mastering officers. II think a very large
proportion of the officers and men OF the
lst Montana will respond to the presl-
dents call, when it comes said he.
}, Sergeant c.. ]. Lisle, a young neWspa'
per man who saw service with c com
pany of Bozeman. said he had no an.
ticipated such an emergency, but in the
event Of a call for volunteers he Woule
! go. ~
And this will not be a repetition o.
the Philippine campaign" salt ne. THE
:, Chinese have the making of good sol
! diers. I saw enough of them in tht
! Philippines to convince me that whel
J the uprising in China came it would TAX
I the world to put it down. They ar
{ strong and enduring, obedient n pa
5 tent, can go anywhere and can exis
I on what the white soldier would throw
{ away.
{ Nor are they lacking in courage. w
} had a number of them with us in tn
! Philippines as litter carriers. In this ca
{ pacity, although non-combatants, the
were frequently under fire, and the
I ly. With good leaders they will NAL
much trouble"
) Captain Decay Stivers of Troop I
! Grigsby's~ independent cavalry, suggest
( the organization of a regiment of Mon
{ tana rough riders in the event of a ca
for volunteers.
! Years ago Stivers saw service with tn