The morning call., 1891-03-16
STATE S0LDIERY.
Cold Facts About the COIOnelcy
of the First.
Figures of Merit and Percentage at Drills
High Art in the Military-Eccncmy in
Clothing-A Disrupted Staff


clothing-A Disrupted Staff
The 66.49 per cent active and the SO. 81 rel
cent purely ornamental members of the 50l
company officers and enlisted men OF the
First Infantry had brought to their atten-
tion one evening last week a truly amusing
proof of the adage that zone must go from
home TO learn the news" 1t was with ref
erence TO the "gossiping these days about
the next Colonel of the First Infantry
Some facetiousness was INDUCED in that the
next Colonel, whoever he may be, will
have hard row to hoe, as there is not a
holder Of commission in the First who
does not think he could give onts on all
the accepted authorities on tactics,' etc
The al-around blunderer then announces
that the gentlemen who are seeking the
honOrs are Captains Bush and Tiden,
Colonel William ). Sullivan and Lieutenant
Colonel William Ciuf."
When ii is considered that the quoted an
nGuncement refers to Lieutenant-C Colonel
William P. Sullivan Jr. and to Major VIII
lam Cluff, of the brigade staff, enough is
shown as to tie correctness Of this and the
other gossipy statements. That "Cluff will
run only should the officers go outside of
the regiment in searching fer candidate"
is news 10 the Major himself, but whether
IL is or not does not matter, for the regiment
is not going outside for a commanding
officer.
Quoting further: Colonel Sullivan's
referring presumably to Lieutenant-C Col
Onel sullivan chances Of promotion would
be excellent in any regiment but the First,
but there the strong CLIQUE that runs things
is said to be against him. 1t ought not TO
be, for he is too good an .oficer to be
shelyed." Well, that's news too, partiau-
larry 1.-THE strong clique that runs things"
The fact is not alone that the Lieutenant
COloneTs chances are excellent, but il any
thing lie has, by reason Of lis position. The
inside track OF tile only competitor against
him, ard personally he is most popular and
as competent as he is popular
THE CANDIDATES CONSIDERED.
The assertion is made that 1T is safe to
say that Captain Bush will not run again."
but considering tile fact that he never seri-
ously intended to run it may be accepted
that he Will not lie Colonel. But the ref
erences 10 him that b1 cause lie is the senior
OF his brigade and 'foT years lie has had but
one object in life-to keep Company Il in
the right of the line-and by becoming
Colonel he would lose what lie has helped
to retain Tor so long a Tine" and that this
maintaining Of ii 5 position is Of more mo-
ment 10 Bush than any personal promo
tlUns, IS mere rot and intended to place the !
captain III q ridiculous light.
there Is ID more devoted member in the |
regiment th9n Captain Bush and how much |
MS services are thought Of is evidenced By |
the TACT that he is always appointed on com !
nltteCs which have the handling of finances
and which needs must do active work The
remarks are therefore wholly unca!led for
Ii Captain Bush desired promotion the op-
pOrtunlly was offered him about two wears
ago, when he was elected Lieutenant
Colonel, but declined.
The candidates are and have been
Lleutenant-CO.Onel Sullivan and Captain
Charles L. Ilden, tile second ranking of
his grade. OF the latter, tile man-with-the-
news -frnm-goOdness- knows-where abroad !
says: IIlden, popular man personally. |
has sufficient experience with men and
measures and enough tact to prevent his
Wouid-be critics from overriding his
opinions II elected, Tiden would be
Colonel in fact. He has the Nationals at
his back
his oraeular announcement presuppOses
tAat MS election Is assured because he
has the Nationals at his back" While true |
mat as SUCH candidate, the Nationals, as
tNo companies, represent 3S0l per cen. of
the total enlisted strength Of sol in the
seven companies Of the battalion, unfor-
tuha.ely the backing Of the enlisted
=
HIM IN the coming contest.
ANALYZING THE VOTE.
There are or viii be at this eection-and
Il Will probably not be called FOR one month
yet-twenty-two officers qualified to vote,
II all attend, necessitating twelve for a
choice. Assuming that each candidate will
vote for his opponent, and Tllden enters
the Heid with tue backing OF the Nationals
vote and that OF his OppUneut-tOtal o. Sui
Ivan VIII come in undoubtedly with the
three votes Of Company A-the company
from which lie rcse-the two votes of +,
which lie cOnman ded while in financial dis
treSs, and out Of which his coed manage
menT rescued 1t, the vote Of his opponent,
and pres umably that Of the MajOr-IotaI l.
The one has therefore to gain five votes |
and the other SIX to elect, and they must
come from companies d, d and H. But
Z Ompany expects and hopes that Major
Bu. dick, lis late Captain, may be promoted.
To do So tie Leutenant-C Olouel must he
advanced, so there you have three votes
more for Sullivan, total Of 10, and two
more needed 10 elect and to be chosen from
he SIX Of d and II. So much therefore for C
he record, as it were. I
Now as TO other considerations not of r
record The two companies of the Nation {
ais, representing 5o.O1 per cent OF the regi- o
ment, yet having only at most six votes in I
the TegImeutal board OF twenty-five, have g
a candidate tor Colonel. If he is \
not elected they will not present him for the n
other o1hces 10 play any second or third
fiddle. They have not now representation r
IN the field OF STAFF, nor have they had for | q
years and years, unless the left and right Y
general guides ale considered in that light ! r
md they are COrpOrals who have never sew j
,Fed connection with their Companies, and +
re acting under details O
WHY TILDEN IS A CANDIDATE p
The Nationals believe that they are en- 5
tiled to tile CUloneicy. They aim high, but a
hat Is their business. That they would so o.
Im IS not a surprise, for it was tacity I'M Z
erSLOOd having in view tae expected pro- el
notion Of Colonel Dickinson when the c
acant Lieutenant-C OlOnelcv was filed by Z
le promotion Of the Major, and his place n
lied by he promotion Of the third ranking Ia
.aptaiD, that The future candidate for Col OF
mel would keep out of the election for | "
.leutenant-Col0nel aud Major. In keeping
-ith THIS understanding the Lieutenant
'oIOnel elect announced that he had reached
ne goal OF his ambition, aud so all was con-
dered plain sailing in the event OF Colonel .
)leklnsOn's leaving the regiment.
how much foundation there is for the as "
ertiOn That strong clique that runs |
hlngs Is said to lie tgainst tue Lieutenant
ol0Bel may be gathered from the fact that -
q January, 1858, after having served from
uguSt, 1855, as Captain and Adiutant with
ost signal success and confidence TepOSed n
him, such as Colonel mt often places in We
IS Adlutant, he was unanimously elected ca
-aJ0f, and III November, 1890, again unani- p'
Ously chosen Lleuteuant-CoiOnel to sue De
ed Samuel j. Taylor, retired.
How IN the nature Of things "strong
que that runs things" can exist in the Ell
glment, with the vote Of the board Of off re
rs divided n the candidates as shown is Ia
'parent only to the man with-the-neWs- IL IL
on abroad. IL
FIGURES OF MERIT. Ca