Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

be ianniag (Imes. LOAUIS APPELT. Editor. MANNIlIG. S. C JULY 3, 1913. PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY One year . .........................381 50 six months............7 Font months................. ....50 ADVERTISING RATES: One square, one time. $i; each subsequent in serion. 50 cents. Obituaries and Tributes of Respect charged for as regular advertisements. Liberal contracts made for three. six and twelve Advertisers will please re member that copy for a change of ad. MUST be in this o .ce by Saturday Noon in order to insure publication the following week. Communications must be accompanied by the real name and address of the writer in order to relie attention. NO cmmunication of a personal character wm be published except as as advertisement. Entered atthePostomflce at Manning as See ond Class master. THE MILITIA MUDDLE. The military situation in this State has been tiguring in the public mind recently to a great extent, and many want to know what it is all about, especially is this information asked where there are no military companies; at one time, about every county in the State had from one to sev eral companies, but these were forced out by the regulations re quired by what is known as the Dick Act-a federal law which provides for a National Guard; by the advice of some of the mil itia officers the general assembly endorsed this Dick Act, and made it the military law of this State, when this was done there was considerable opposition, it was argued then, if it was attempted to apply strict army discipline to our citizen soldiers it would have the effect of causing a crip pling of the military service, but those who like the tinsel and pomp of the military insisted. with the result, the law was ac cepted, and our militia was reor ganized under it. The United States government under this act, provides equipment and un iforms, and contributes some money for encampments, and, when the men are in service, whether in their home or a for eign State, they are paid the same as are the regular enlisted men who are in the army service as a profession and a means of livelihood, the difference be tween the regulars and the mili tia- is, the militia, although en listed for a term of years, subject to call at any moment, when called they must go, get pay only when-in actual service, the regulars are paid all of the time, because they are always in service, whether it is guard duty or shining the shoes of their of ficers. South Carolina adopted this law, and while there are many in the militia who do not take kindly to it, it is the law, and they realize that they must do one of two things, either surren der their membership by getting an honorable discharge, or com ply with the regulations of the war department-if their bed is hard they must stick the closer to it; when they sub scribed their names to th e enlistment, .t h e y were bound as hard and fast as those who went into the army service for a job or a profession, and when the Chief Executive, who is the commander-in-chief of the mili tary forces in the State under takes, because of his personal opposition to the law, to refuse to require the discipline as laid down by this law he brings on a condition calculated to cripple the efficiency of the service, and weaken the military arm of the *State. Were South Carolina in a po sition to make ample appropria tions to support and maintain a ilitary there might be some ar gument in favor of being inde pendent of the general govern ment, and have a military with our own regulations, but this is not the condition, and the mili tary is largely dependent upon the general government, at least for its ordinance and supplies, having accepted the require ments to secure the necessaries it does look to us the governor could very well. afford to let the military men administer the work of this department. There are some who do not ap preciate the need of a military force, we hope there will never be a need for the militia, but should the emergency arise, it is needed instanter, quicker still were that possible, therefore it is wise to be prepared, the known preparedness has the effect of keeping the peace, it is a police force on constant duty, it has the salutary effect of making those who would cause an upris ing or an outbreak, ponder well before they undertake such an enterprise. We deplore the present mili tary situation, it does no good to undei-take, for sinister purposes, to place the blame on the gover nor, because when this is at tempted there will be many who will fix the blame on thet Adju tant General. and why the Adju tant Gener-al? He has been the chief of stat! for the past three years, and tile militia is under his immediate supervision, tile governor merely has a perfunc tory sunervision, this too, on gala occasions. but the Adjutant General comes into personal con tact, it is to him the reports ar-e made. He knew the condition of the military companies, and it was his business to keep themi from a condition that should make him feel the necessity of demanding their- disbandment. He should not have attempted to apply the same rigidity of dis cipline to the citizen soldiers as the regular army officers apply +o presseionals- Tt was not tc be expected the fwrmer or clerk soldier, who went into camp once 1 a year would keep his buttons c or his brasses shining as the sol- c dier who was in the regular pay of the government. it was not expected that a grecn. raw fel- t low right from the plow handle or the shop. could salute the t gorgously caparisons l onie.'r as gracefully as the trained man, these citizen soldiers cannot have the same regulations applied or; enforced as those in the regular , service. and it looks to us that t the Adjutant General could have found some way to have prevent. I e | _R/ CANOOPOU COw TAA N W JAQ d his grecommeudation to dis- tic >and in disgrace eleven military bi ompanies: this is mainly the of ause of the present status. the cc covernor would not honor the re \diutaut General's recoramenda- vi ion, no doubt the one was apply- go nm the military law strictly while di he it her applied what he regards of Omim1ion sense, taking into con- it ideration circumstances and en- ki -ironments. It was because the tl ;overnor refused to throw these gi ompanies out, the fat w a s o irown into the fire. fe A strict construction of the w )ick Act may favor the conten- es 'rc'4 o T I. 4.t nraieC >n of the Adjutant General, w it when consideration is taken h the situation with those who sa mposed the military in the ru- tl: I sections, there is much in fa a; >r of the position taken by the ai >vernor, and this position is en- ti >rsed by the head field officers T the State militia, but be this as u: may, we do not want our militia di iocked out, we sincerely hope st e members will retain their or ei mizations for any emergency, gi ir faith is unbounded in the ef- o1 ctiveness of the citizen soldier, hether their buttons and brass are shining or their salute is ) LI AT IMEDO /ATUA /REFO T TE fL FEdYrS TRA0J DoELA ith the formal stitf fingured one ind or with both hands like a laam; when they are needed iey will respond as quickly and effectively, even in t h e i r kardness, as the trim and .ained well stepped regular. be citizen soldier when called pon responds as a patriotic fty, while the regular keeps ep under fear of a well groom 1 officer with the power of a reat government to enforce his ders THE GOVERNOR'S POSITION ENDORSED According to yesterday's de "ALLGO THRLEE SATUR WITH US f/ .(/ fTHE ff1 \DVABTAG~3j NAKE OiUi T I UNDERTOW NOl ia CAQHE01 OF PALN$ RAPED iLYE ~AERS3 AND JW1?FEC IOODATIOIN U1AFJRPAY FOOD Di1aCTLY TROMI &ET ATKKET FT TO THE l$LE QY 1I Trf oTTIZE. PREJI spatches from V ta hington the u militia companies of this State 3 recommended to be disbanded. h w h i c h recommendation t h e a governor refused to c o m p1 y f with. will be given more c time to prepare themselves for t the requirements of the reg ulations of the war department. t General Wilie Jones and Colone! r Cogswell were sent as a col If mittee to confer with the Secre- s tary of war with regard to the t South Carolina military situa- c tion. As we understand it. Gov ernor Blease refused to disband r the companies on the recom-! * Tih S INCE OD THIN6S SPEND FR DAY mANDU [0 COMPLE TE -I UjI TH 1I OFT PALA~J ADEV MILLIO L{T IT ti MF A T E PALM -QZELU AHD> - IJLLI EN r1 ^l T iendation of Adjutant General t boore, on the ground that they p .ad not had sufficient notice. and a s there had been leniency in the past he required more time for the s ompanies to prepare for inspec- < ion. The time has been granted )y the war department. and if he companies comply with the egulations there will be no urther ti ouble. At a meeting of everal of the commanders of he South Carolina militia, these fficers sustained the goverior's osition, and as a result of that eeting Gen Wilie Jones and ol. Julius Cogswell were sent ARE WDAY, MiDAY.. TIfEJIILY 4~ '2 F JULY FANG/J IVE R3ARY E7 2W9f DAY TZ Gj7 T TO jTATE "fM:M OUR F OJl >15 CF PALN5l 'THE 5DUTHERN PIAYGR YNCRG~E CA EAL IT. IN COM4PLETE VIEW OF IPM jiNG CLQjE TO PO ' JLEZOUCAL JTOT OF ( DAY TATh SUPIDL.ED W ELY Lua LjATES. K217 R(TT !NJ fJAR L o Washington to explain the ituation to the representatives, .nd to the war department. The Thole thing looks to us as if as ociation with the regular army iflicers has had the effect of naking a strict disciplinarian of *ldjutant General Moore, who vould want our militiamen to be Ls thorough as regular soldiers Ve think, however, since time ias been given to the companies 6s contended for by the gover ior. the matter is satisfactorily diusted. 5O VD FAHR)H '/1/ F MltC ZHA~TLETfO A0 IMhElRICA. [Th DE5T II4ONEY CAN & fi/)Wf C.