The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-25
DROUGHT AIDS THE ARM
WHEN YOUNG MEN ARE IDLE THEY
SEEK MILITARY SERVICE.
Practically All OF the Recruits Are
Now Placed I'm the Artillery
Branch of the Army.

The recent drought has given regular
army recruiting a stimulus and the recruit
ing officers in indianapolis and at the
various substations over the State are
having their pick from: a fine lot Of young
farmers. Sergeant Dobbins, of the local
recruiting station. says that the farmers
over the State have sold most OF their
cattle on account of the drought. are mar
keting all Of their field products. and for
that reason there will be little feeding done
this winter to give employment TO idle
young men who depend upon farming for
their living. Under normal conditions the
larger per cent. of recruits come from the
farm. and with the present outlook the
opening the regular army offers will be
taken advantage Of by many.
Recruits. almost TO a man, are now be-
ing enlisted for the artillery service. For
more than a month men have been ar
signed To the infantry or cavalry only upon
special request and recommendation. These
requests are usually made by men who
have already served in the regular army.
and are entering upon second. third, fourth
and even nth enlistments. More consider
aticn is given to this class of men than TO
fresh recruits. ana the awkward squad
has alnCSr bee1 entirely shut out OF any
ScrNiCc ether than the artillery.
Tho act passed al the last session of Con-
srtss that raised the artillery service from
seven regiments To 16 companies of coast
batteries and twenty-fOur field batteries,
making in ali an artillery corps of 1900
men. * responsible for the demand for re-
cruits for that particular service. Another
reason Sergeant Dobbins gives for the de-
mand for artillcrymen Is the construction
the secretary of war has placed upon the
act. Ii was generally understood at first
that the recruiting OF the artillery service
up to 1900 was TO be done gradually at the
rate or 70 per cent. eacn year until the
maximum was reached. Secretary of War
Root. however, has construed the law to
mean that the men for the artillery may
being made to fill the service as soon as
possible.
The chances OF going to the Philippines.
generally looked upon by recruits as a de-
sirablS service, are now very meager. some
time ago the local recruiting office received
notice from the War Department that all
the regiments In the Philippines are full
and that no more men are wanted for that
service. The men now being enlisted are
sent to the coast or field artillery.
The suDstations, located at Lafayette and
Fort Wayne. are doing better work at this
Stogsdall. who looks after these sub
stations and does much running about over
the State gathering in recruits, is perhaps
turning In the greatest number of men.
Yesterday he brought six men from Frank
fort. The smaller towns visited period
ically by Captain Stcgsdall make the best
showing Lafayette is the poorest station
the army has. and when Sergeant DObbins
started the office there he remained for
twenty-tnrce days without getting a re-
cruit, Fort Wayne for a time furnished
about one recruit a day. The rounds of
Captain Stogsdall is thought TO have Of
ret the business that would possibly have
gone to Lafayette.