Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1886-09-10
A. SENSIBLE TALK.
Governor Pierce, in Addressing the
Soldiers at Aberdeen, Speaks
Plainly as
Concerning the Militia Appropria-
tion, and Why 1t Became
sm.- Exhausted. ,u
A Personal Explanation.

A Personal Explanation. ~
ABERDEEN, Sept. 3.-The encampment
closed to-day. North Dakota companies
left for home this evening, and South Da-
kota go in the morning. Governor Pierce
arrived last night, and attended the ban
quet to the commissioned officers by Col.
Peck. The Governor reviewed the troops
this afternoon.
ABERDEEN, Sept. 4.-[Special. THE
First and Second regiments paraded
through the streets of Aberdeen. and then
massed in division at o'clock in front of
the Sherman house, where they were ad-
dressed by the governor. The appearance,
behavior and drill was superb. The gov
ernor spoke as follows:
THE GOVERNORS ADDRESS. II.
Soldiers OF the Dakota National Guard:
You have drilled, you have marched and
cOunter-marched, and have done what the
law requires of you. Now ask you to put
off the soldier for a few minutes and listen
to me as citizens, as voters, as taxpayers
OF TINS territory
appropriation for the support of the mill
tia had been exhausted. AS one RESPONSE
Bile for the execution of the laws and
charged with the duty of seeing that the
public funds are not expended illegally or
improperly, want to state precisely what
has been done with the money.
The law of 1885, section l, says: For the
purpose of aiding in procuring uniforms
and keeping them in repair there shall be
paid annually to. each officer and soldier
who shall be uniformed sum equal to $5."
There is no mistake about that, is there L?
1t is a positive command of the statute,
and so far as possible it has been obeyed,
and there has been paid on that account
$3.50.
Section provides that "each company
or battery shall be paid annually out Of
the territorial treasury $500 for armory
rent. There's no mistake about that
either. 1t tells just what we must do.
We have accordingly paid for this purpose
and for company allowance $6,200.
Section 6 provides that the governor
shall order encampmenrs and that the ter
ritory shall provide transportation and
subsistence and suitable camp and garri-
son equipage. There is no room here
either for any doubt. The command is
positive, and their has been paid for trans
portation $5,Ol6.93; for subsistence, ST.
565.45; for camp and garrison equipage, ST.
1854.
l don't think extravagant rates were paid
for either subsistence or transportation.
The men were carried by the railroads for
one cent per mile per man, and the subsist-
ence for the camp at Fargo cost just twen-
ty-one cents day for each man present.
The sum for camp aud garrison equipage
includes camp kettles and all the utensils
for camp life, and 100 tents purchased, and
which are now the property Of the terri
tory.
The same section declares that there
shall be allowed to each officer and en-
listed man $1.50 per day for the time he is
absent from home at these encampments.
Here also the duty is plainly defined by
law, and there was paid for this purpose
on regular pay rolls signed by the men
$8,769.50.
Section provides for inspection, and
there has been paid for this purpose for
travelling expenses $6S.
Section provides for clerks in adjutant
generals Office, but no clerks have been
employed; it also provides that $25 shall
be allowed to each regiment for stationery
and postage. There has been paid for this
purpose $50, making total of $27,51482.
This with the salary of the adjutant gen
eral for two years, at $1,000 per year,
$4,000 makes S29512.S2 out of the $4,000 ap-
prOpriated, and there are few bills yet
unpaid.
There is no mistake about these pay
ments. There is no discretion about them.
The officers Of the territory are required to
pay certain amounts in certain ways, and
when they did so they found that the gross
sum appropriated was insufficient and
therefore the appropriation was exhausted.
The governor has no more right to dis
obey law than any other citizen. l do not
propose to set myself up as the judge of
what laws to obey and what violate. / am
,nf In 1pxuy h,rft To ,tr,
them. The legislature has commanded me
to hold an encampment. It has commanded
me to pay so much out for certain specified
purposes. am going to do this, my friends.
precisely as the legislature has commanded
so far as am able to do it. If the people
do not want the law let them instruct the
legislature to repeal 1t, but while it is the
law and | am governor it will be observed.
But the appropriation is not an entirely
useless one.
Under the law every able-bodied citizen
of the territory between the ages of eigh-
teen and fOrty-ive, is required to be en-
rolled in the militia and all such persons
are subject to call in case of emergency.
Organized and active militia therefore are
not only convenient in case of trouble but
they save other citizens from the annoy
ance of a demand upon their time and
services and are protection to those SUBJ
ject to call as we'll as to those threatened
with disturbances. The people of the ter
ritory pay ON the average cents piece
annually to sustain an active force of mil
tia which will save them the annoyance
of OF being called upon to shoulder arms
themselves. If it is not worth it, repeal the
law, but let us understand just what it is
and just what it accomplishes. / think it
is matter of some pride to the territory
that it has an active and well organized
militia. do not think any citizen of Da-
kOta can look on this spectacle this evening
and not be proud that the territory can turn
out such body of citizen soldiers.
a company of cavalry aud battery of ar
tillery. We have two regiments of in
fantry and battery. Governor Hubbard