The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-10
DIRECT ISSUE MADE.
Militiamen Refuse to Recognize
OBrien's Order.
WILL NOT RISK LOSING PAY.
Tacoma Companies Insist on Proper
Orders and Seattle Companies VIII
FoIIow-onicers Combine.

The controversy between AdjutantGeneral
| UBrieu and the officers OF the state militia has
been brought TO an issue By the refusal OF the
1 officers of two Of the Tacoma companies 10 order
| their men out for target practise upon O'Brien's
| orders TO do so, aud the failure OF the mem
/ hers of the other Tacoma company to obey an
1 order from their captain to turn out The point
/ raised by the officers is claimed by them 20 be
| similar to that made by Governor Ferry in re-
gard 70 the calling out OF the militia at the time
| of the trouble at the mines, when he held that
they were there merely posse com tatus sum
! moned by the sheriff to his assistance, and were
| not in reality called out by the state, since
| he, as the governor, was the only one that had
| the power to order out the militia In defense
OF their position the officers claim that in the
first place the adjutant generals call was not
regular as IL had his name printed at the bottom
Of it instead of written as il should be. Again,
they do not recognize his authority to issue such
an order.
The movement first began at Tacoma, where
Colonel Jrotter, OF the Vancouver barracks,
United States army, who has been appointed TO
instruct the Washington militia in target prac-
tice, went On Tuesday for that purpose The
following special gives the state OF affairs at that
point:
TACOMA, Sept. Especial EOnly six OF the
fifty members OF Company G. responded TO Cap
tain Shanks order TO turn out for target practice
last night, and Captains Fifes OF Company c,
and Ashton, of Troop Il, after consultation,
decided not to comply with the adiutant gen.
erals order to call out their men Colonel
Trotter, of the Vancouver barracks, who came
here TO instruct them, left this morning for
Seattle 10 instruct the companies there The
Tacoma militianen quite confident that
none of the So und companies will turn out, for
reasons stated substantially as follows, by Cap
tain Fifc, OF company, and Captain Ashton,
Of Troop B.:
Thczt dfof fa ant
General o Brien as its official head. II has no
knowledge that the order under which Colonel
Irotter Is acting, which is q printed circular
with General OBren's name at the bottom, is
official. Before target practice is INDUCED in at
the expense OF the miIitiamen. with the expeeta-
ton OF the state re-imbursing them, they
will demand official order from Cover
nor Ferry. The reason assigned for this
caution in turning out, is principally the fact
that Colonel Haines' orders under the claimed
authority OF Governor Ferry. were obeyed when
the militia went 10 the King county mines;
that while there the state recognized it and sent
II supplies and blankets. and when the service
had been rendered Governor Ferry repudiated
Colonel Haines' action, and the local militia has
no assurance that the target practice orders
might not also be repudiated.
Captain Shank, of company, Is in sympathy
with his men in their stand. and will not call
the absentees to account for INSTRUMENTATION.
As Captain Fife and Captain Ashton did not
order their men out, they assume the response
bility of their commands.
Arrangements have been made to have every
officer of the National Guard in this city attend
meeting to be held Saturday night in the
Seattle armory, TO perfect the organization of the
''officers' association of the National Guard of
Washington" which was incorporated here to
day, and to elect officers Every line officer of
the state will be requested to join the associa-
ton, which is TO be similar to National Guard
associations in other states. The objects OF the
association are:
To promote the interests of the N g. w with
out respect to partisan politics. to foster friend
| shin and promote fellowship among the officers
| of the National Guard, thereby removing cause
| for misunderstanding and strife among men,
| beers of the several military companies OF the
state: to promote the efficiency of the officers of
| the line, field and staff, and disseminate among
| spective lines OF duty; TO indte and encourage
emulation among them, and to enable them TO
! act in concert through this organization in all
| iaudabe endeavors to elevate the social, moral
| and military character of its members.
| The incorporators are: Colonel Haines, Cap
tain Ashton, Lieutenant-Colonel Green, Major
F. Gaus and Surgeon Beebe Aud the princi-
| pal place of meeting will be Tacoma.
The local militia officers are understood to be
| In. sympathy with the opposition TO O. Brien $
| orders, and the same course will probably be
| followed by the companies here when the time
| comes for them to turn out Colonel Trotter has
not come to Seattle yet. and it is understood
that he has gone to Olympia to consult with the
governor
The meeting to be held at the Armory on Sat
urday night to oryanize the Officers Association
of the National Guard of Washington promises
to be well attended and the success of the organ
izatiOu is assured