Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1901-05-01
OUR STANDING ARMY.
Efforts WIN lie Made to Have Seventy
Thousand Troops by Aug. I.

ih"usahh troops by aug 4.
Washington. April 3O.-At the wAi
department It is said that efforts are be.
ing made 10 have the recognized stand.
ing army fully ofiicercd and equipped
and enlisted 10 the strength Of 1900
by Aug l. More apprehension is felt
over getting the full quota Of competent
line officers by the date mentioned than
over the recruiting Of the 10 new regi
ments Except for this, il is probable
that Secretary Root and Adjutant Gen.
eral Corbin would have accompanied
the president on MS western trip. IL is
true that nearly all of the 500 oi more
line officers Of the grades Of first and
second ieutenan,s created by the new
law have been designated by the presi.
dent but every one Of these appointees
must undergo rigid examination be-
fore commissions in the regular army
are issued TO them.
On the law Of averages IL is estimated
by experienced army officers that fully
one.third, and perhaps half Of these
originally designed by the president for
appointment, will fail either on mental
or physical examination In order 10 meet
the eXigencies or being prepared for the
secretary Of war aud the adjutant gen
eral 10 whom the president has turned
this task over. There is being selected
long list Of applicants with reference
OF course to the wishes Of senators and
other influential men in tho several
states
In order 20 expedite the work other
applicants already selected by the presi.
dent, Secretary Root and General Cor.
bin viii appoint dozen or more boards
I OF examiners 20 sit in various parts OF
the country. where the convenience Of
the appointees will be best served.
Whenever an appointee fails to pass the
examination the name Of the first alter
nate from his state will DO certified 20
the board Of examination and this pro-
cess will be- continued until the full
quota of suhalternates required by law
Is complete.
lt is not thought that the examina-
tions will be in full swing for six weeks
or two months yet and this expectation
l. based on the reckoning that the new
officers wall be selected. This will not
interfere with the organization Of the
new regiments or with the sending OF
fresh troops 10 the Philippines 10 take
the place ot the volunteers. This work
will keep pace with the recruiting a.
by detailing line officers OF the old %
the new regiments for temporary duty
the proper quota Of officers in the field
can be kept up.
The announcement is made at the
war department Of the final decision
reached few days ago 10 retain In the
service the two battalions Of natiy,
Puerto Ricans that are ofiicered by
Americans Authority 90 do this 1.
granted by the army aud 1t was not
thought until recently that advantage
would be- taken Of this provision. II i,
understood that with few exception,
the officers now commanding the Puerto
Ricans battalions will be- recommis
stoned.
The formation of native Philippine
regiments provided for by the new law
and 20 be- oiiicercd by Americans with
commissions running four years is alsC
being considered by the war department
but it is expected that this matter will
BE- held IN abeyance for a year or NOR,
or until the Flipinos become completely
reconciled 90 American authority.
This decision will cause disappoint
ment 10 soldiers and officers Of the vol
untcer regiments who remained benin,
IN the Philippines when their rcgimont
were brought home in the hops tha
they would Immediately obtain commits
slous IN the present organizations. Still
the force of 1000 It is intended 70 b,
kept In the Philippines proves made
quate To cope with the situation thepro
vincAl regiments may be- organized a
another date than now seem probable