New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-06
WITH THE SOLDIER BOYS
HONORARY MEMBERSHIP QUESTIONED.
SUBJECTS WHICH OFFICERS AND MEN AR1
TALKING ABoUT-AouvITY IN
TIE ARMORIES.


THE ARMoRIES.
The most important matter which has como up In
National Guard circles for long time Is the opinion
promulgated from tho Office Of Judge AdvocaEOeherA
Clifford A. H. Bartlett concerning honorary members
In the different military Organizations In the o'a'e.
The matter brought up by attention being caiea
to a section OF tho bylaws OF Company OF inc -"
Regiment The matter IS considered OF so much LIZ
portance by every National GuardSman In the ciV
from Bngaler-General Fitzgerald down that IL 10
printed in full:
Sir: have the honor 10 call your attention to tho
following extract taken from my opinion dsapproVins
a section OF tho bylaws Oh Company Z, "a hceiho
dsaprove of the word honorary and all reference
10 hOnOry members as used In Article H. Aiur
mature Consideration have como TO the conclusion
that the military code does not permit OF any mem.
bership In the National Guard known as honorary and
that Tie civil Associations provided for By section 139
intended TO DO Identical with ana composea n %
iary body The military body only includes com
missioned officers and enlisted men, I'D HIM. 70 d.
military duty and who are amenable 10 the law. a
careful reading OF the section referred 10 mano' AZ,
evident. IT Is the members or the company a
may organize themselves into association N Ins
members OF the company arc tho COMMISSIONED oao
aPs into sp civil asoctaon they cannot
Include I'm the organization those who are not Hcn-
AS honorary members arc not liable TO military
duty they have no place in the cyil association An
association as an active member. His privileges are
usually cnrtaied IN some minor way such the right
10 vote, but, in other respects especially as regars
property Of the organization, be stands on equal foot.
ing WIZ the r% SG tSe amoes and asenas Of the Stats
10 be used by class who Independent OF lts laws,
nd who d6 Df however :. Rs those who enter
the state service and devote their time ara energy ~
and fhns while stn remaining str city military body
may. at the same time, engage In friendly anu coh'
If NAV be said that honorary members arc an af-
vantage 10 the organization and enaoe u 10 ueIlso
financial support and influence without IN any way
inerr NC With us efficiency as a N litary body. But
the question TO be determined Is not one M T at'
but Of purely statutory rucdon II Is the LeHs
Iature that has made the law. and as the law 70
promulgated, # must be obeyed. am he rd a.
Of opinon that all provisions in these bylaws. ana n
the bylaws OF al otter civil associations providing ior
honorary members are unlawful ana contrary W So0-
The question is one Of so much importance that
think the substance Of my opinion might WIN pro'
be promulgated by General order" A.,
Rricadier General Fitzgerald said concerning the
or,cr issued by Adtuant-Genera Porter on accouns
Of the e-AdvocateG enerals opinion; IL may %
law but It is not good policy and consider thso u'
enforcement OF it will be detrimental 10 the m''r-
ests OF the National Guard Many men VINO n@'o
served a long number Of years either as pnyates or
officers arc prevented by business or other reasons
from serving longer, but they stin have hundreds OF
friends in their regiment company and Ike 20 STOP
in 10 the armories meet their friends occasonay'
4" Bv virtue of his honorary membership he Is en-
filled TO go into the company meeting ana ahoush 10
has no vote he often helps along social matters OK
other projects Of his old company. lie may ol'eh
contribute money. and quite often Is infuenuai IN
getting recruits The udge-Advocate-Genera OF
course makes strong point when he says that therp
are men who have the privilege OF occupying 'no
armorles who cannot be called upon TO perform scr
vice for the State That IS true; but SO IS !uo' ~
true that the veteran associations OF inc uneleh' @
panizations occupy the quarters furnished by the
state and they cannot be called upon to perform SER
vice for the state any than the honorary mem
bers can. Now. according to my UNDERSTANDING Ok
the opinion, the veterans viii have to get out OF tno
armores too
General Fitzgerald had not heard yet whether
an effort would DO made to get relief from the
legislature or not but he thought that there prob
ably would be. . -, ,.,. 4,
the Fist Brigade is whether will be parade and
review by Governor Hill this year not. 1t was the
Intention to have grand ye 700 a van 10 pat
the park proper condition for the review Brgadler-
Tbed fast enough and that it wauM be impossible
have the parade there, atter ne hal lhVn9I INC Sos
cept"d the invitation Brigadier-GeneraI McLeer. Of
tbs second Brigade then invited the First Brigade TO
tbe ps Of the Soldiers oaumcnt which IS TO
be put up the main entrance TO Prosper Park
about october 20 It is expected that Governor Hill WI
review both brgades on that day, and II he decides
to come General Fitzgerald win accept the nviiatpn
of the First Brigade will be offered Governor Hill
some time during the latter part of the month. .
Nearly all of the regiments in the city began drilling
early This week and those who did not begin during
this week Wal start their winters work tomorrow
night The last reglmental shoots have nearly al
occurred. hut there VIII ne more or less shOouns W
qua ffy Until Thanksg wing Day. when the season closes
The number Of marbsmen so far IS NJ excess OF ing
number at the time last year. and IS expected
that the end Of the will show large percentage
of gain last year.
The annual Inspection Will begin with the First
Brigade Signal Corps on October H. Nearly all Of thu
regiments viii have preliminary inspections before
they appear before Assistant spectorGeneral colone
Thomas II. McGrath .
The Veteran Association OF the 9TH Regiment VIII
celebrate the siXtyhfth anniversary of the National
Guard with reunion at the Metropolitan Hotel To-
morrow night. The association has secured house al
Fifth-ave and Fiftyeghthst. whch t vii occupy al
the necessary alterations can be Wade. Among
those who expected 10 be present y the dinner
tomorrow evening General sherman. Genera
Jardne. General Horace Porter General OlO. liowar
Medical Director BlOOdgOOd. u. s N; CoSnel DeNlu
Ware, Paymaster Woodruff, L. s. NJ; Major Asa Bfo
Gardiner. CAPTAIN Fessenden, Iieutenant Whistler.
Lieutenant Lewis and E. Francis Hyde.