The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-22

IT is greatly to be regretted, for many
reasons, the least one of which applies to In
dianapolis, that there are heart-burnings
over the result of the late military encamp-
ment. AT the first one the New Orleans
battery made a 'kick" against an award,
but the decision of the War Department
fully sustained the report of the judges, and
ended all controversy. Now there is some
thing of the nature of a protest over one of
the recent awards, but, like the former,
it is grounded in little else but natural dis
appointment, and is not at all creditable to
the parties making it. That the decision
OF the judges appointed by the War Depart
ment was, i'll all cases, fair and impartial,
goes with the saying, and that Indianapolis
companies and organizations carried off the
major part OF the prizes simply resulted from
the fact that they earned them by superior
drill and proficiency. The Columbus Re-
days Journal, says:
Zone would suppose from the tone of the
article that the men who subscribed their
| money LOT Lne enCdIn DllenL ana VINO got up
the industrial parade did so purely to accom-
modate the old soldiers, to benefit the State
militia, and to furnish an entertainment for
the people. Of course, Indianapolis received
no benefit from the lens of thousands who
visited and spent their money in the city,
and the advertisement was worth nothing to
her merchants. and they never thought of
such a thing when contributing TO the enter
prise! The Journal appears to think that all
who criticise the affair are actuated by
jealousy or disappointment. The Republican
is one of the papers referred to, and it was
certainly actuated by neither. 1t is proud
of the State capital and loves to see it sue
coed and prosper, and seldom loses an op-
portunity to speak a good word in its behalf,
and the fling is unjust. There were no doubt
~ill-tempered and uncalled-for criticisms on
the encampment, but no one who attended
and used his eyes and ears could help but see
that the drift of everything was to favor In
dianapolis and her misitary organizations.
Doubtless the judges were fair, and the man.
ayers tried to be, but the pressure existed
nevertheless, and it had its influence; and, as
we have said before, the feeling produced
will greatly hinder the success of any SINH
lar enterprise hereafter"
The charge made by a number of State
papers was that the military encampment
was gotten up and managed to put money
into the pockets of a few speculative people
in indianapolis, and that to swell the receipts
veteran soldiers were swlndled out of fifty
cents admission, when free entrance had
been promised them. The Journal disproved
these malicious and slanderous assertions by
citing the facts. Not o dollar OF the proceeds
from the encampment could be, or was in
tended to be, the profit of any individual or
set of individuals, but every dollar was pub
licly pledged in advance to form a fund for
the building of an armory for the benefit
of the militia OF the State, an
enterprise in which the State is as much in
terested as indianapolis could possibly be.
Not a promise or an agreement was broken
in a single particular; but, on the contrary,
more was done by the encampment man.
ayers than was advertised. For a week ali the
militia were housed and fed; on old soldiers
day, as had been announced, all Grand Army
posts were admitted free, and they and their
families fed to the number of seven thou
sand. OF course, the enterprising and ener-
getic people of indianapolis, who pledged
the Iuhu LOT tue expenses OF tne encamp-
ment, and who gave freely of their time
and money, expected that the occasion would
be of benefit to the city, and would attract
many thousands of people. Their expecta-
tions were realized; but no critic of In
dianapolis, or of the encampment managers,
can specify a single particular in which any
promise or engagement was violated.