Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1885-08-05
EXIT COLONEL BEND.

The action of Governor Hubbard IN re-
voking the commission of Col. w. B.
Bend, of the First Regiment national
guard, and remanding that gentleman to
the rank Of private citizenship, will be
endorsed by all right thinking men who
understand all the facts in the case, and
appreciate the necessity of military sub
ordination and discipline in the ranks of
our citizen soldiery. For two years. it
has seemed to those who were in posi-
ton to know the truth. that this officer
has been persistently and Intentionally
insubordinate to his chief,
neglecting no opportunity to evade or
disregard his orders, and melting his own
subordinates to act as though the supreme
power were vested IN the colonel of the
regiment, beyond whom they were not to
look for instructions. inspiration or guild
ance. The Governor has been keenly
alive to the characterization referred to,
but bore patiently with it, out of regard
to Col. Bends better qualities as an Of
ficer, and foreborc to exercise the power
which is specially reserved in the written
commission, to remove him from Office.
Finally charges were formally preferred,
the truth of which came within the
Governors own personal knowledge, and
which fully warranted an immediate dis
mlssal from the service. But in the ex
uberance of the spirit of fairness which
has always marked the Governors official
acts, he ordered a court martial to try
these charges, and, could a trial have
been promptly had upon their merits, he
was no doubt entirely willing to abide by
and approve the result, whatever it may
have been. Col. Bend and his admirers
professed intense anxiety for such trial,
but when all was in readiness, he inter
posed technical pleas to the jurisdiction
of the court martial, and these having
been overruled, he applied to the supreme
court of the state, and secured writ of
prohibition, suspending operations until
hearing could he had 1T the October
session Of the supreme court. This quasi
confession of guilt on the part of the &C.
cused, and the manifest intent to delay
the trial and prolong the decentralization
which was being wrought in the force,
left for the Governor but one self-respect.
ing and honorable course to pursue
That was to dissolve the court martial,
re- assume jurisdiction OF. the case as com.
chief, and revoke the commits
sion of the recalcitrant officer. He did
not hesitate to assume the responsibility
he would not have been qualified fol
his position as commander if he had hest
tated. In a general order to the militia,
as admirable for its logical persplculty as
its frmness of tone, he announced that
Col. Bends commission, granted during
the pleasure of the communicative chief,
was revoked and cancelled. This cut the
gordlan knot at a single stroke, solved all
| the legal and martial complications, re-
manded Col. Bend to private life, and
left the militia organization IN position
to select regimental commander better
versed in the obligations and prophecies
| of his station. COL Bends friends, who
are numerous and devoted, deeply reg1 ct
the, for him, unfortunate outcome of the
controversy. But as strict construc
zionist of the rights of military command,
as affecting his own subordinates, in the
past, he certainly has no reasonable
grounds for complaint. that measure of
tho same discipline has been neted OH I
! to himself -Farnae1''s Advocate.