The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-11
NATIONAL GUARD.
University Cadets Stir Up a Ones.
ton Of Precedence.
a Battalion for the Worlds Fair Colonel sulli-
van Has Assumed Command-Memo-
rial Day Parade.

On the occasion Of the parade in Oakland
to receive the President the battalion Of the
University Cadets was to have paTaded with
a battalion Of National Guard troops, COM
posed IF Companies A and F of the Fifth
and c Of the Third Infantry, under the
cOmmand of the Major Of the Fifth Infantry.
Lieutenant Randolph, u. S. A. command
ing the battalion of cadets, claimed the
right of line in that proposed parade, but
did cot parade on account of the death OF
one of the professors of the faculty.
Major O'Brien, learning that the Lieu
tenant would insist upon the right Of line.
at once consulted the Brigadier-General and
the result is sufficiently shown in the fol-
lowing communication which Lieutenant
Randolph has seen fit to have published in
newspaper:
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, |
BERKELEY. May 6, 1891.
Editor ErQt1rer-AiY DEAR SIR; My alten-
ton has been called to an article in your issue OF
May 4th, which purports to contain an opinion
Of Brigader General John II. Dickinson, n. @.
c., TO the effect thar in street parades the militia
take precedence OF the battalion of University
Cadets as the latter do not belong to the Ma
tlonal Guard OF the State OF California.
Possibly the Governor might entertain differ
ent opinion. Al any rate hts decision would set
Tic The matter ID any parade OF State troops Or
derCd By him or by virtue of his authority. Ii Is
not matter Of law or right at all. Custom,
propriety and military courtesy should settle
such Questions. The battalion of the United
States Military Academy are always given the
right of line even When regular troops are pres
eni, and think 1t is highly desirable TO eStab-
llsh similar custom wlh reference to The bat
talon OF the University OF California.
The battalion Of University Cadets, which /
have the honor TO command, form an integral
part OF the military system of this State, aud the
Uniyelsity OF California Is very important fac
tor in The system adopted under The Constitution
and laws Of lie United States for the dissemlna-
ton Of military knowledge among the people.
The Oakland parade was commanded by cl-
william marshal, and il WAS not III any sense a pa
Tade OF The National Guard. Tie Grand Army
OF the Republic might nave Claimed the right Of
line were il not that custom and pr0prlety pre-
scribe that armed bodies shall lead ID process
Sl0ns.
Previous TO that occasion the Oakland commit
tee Informed me that Tie only armed bodies they
expected were two or three separate companies
OF The National Guard, numbering not over 10
rank and file. was PREPARED 10 join the parade
with weil-driled aud disciplined battalion OF
200 strong, organized and otflcered under the
laws of the Stale OF California, armed by the
United States Government, and drilled dlSe-
pinned and instructed Under The provisions OF the
laws of both the Unitld States aud the Stale OF
California
For reasons OF military courtesy alone-the
present, lis members being all students of the
University Of California and invited participants
-the Marshal would have made no mistake II ne
had offered ire The right of the lne instead OF
placing ,he battalion az the very end of the pro-
ces,iOn, in rear of all the organizations, both
armed and unarmed. Yours truly
First Lieutenant ! bird United States Ar
Ieiy, commanding battalion.
NOT A MILITARY PARADE.
The Lieutenant makes two points which
are worthy OF consideration. He says that
tie parade was not military one, and that
the q. A. X. might as we'll have claimed the
right of line. were it not obvious that Gus
tom and propriety prescribe that armed
bodies shall take the lead. This being con-
coded, the question recurs, who was entitled
to the right of lne-the cadets or the battal-
ion of duly organized companies CT the
National Guard?
The question whether one numbered 175
rank and file or not aud the other 200 has
nothing to do with the subject. The point
is made that law and right do not obtain,
but custom, propTety and military courtesy
should settle such questions. Lieutenant
Randolph's confessed only claim to the
right of line with his battalion OF cadets is
that the United States Military Academy
cadets are always given the right of line,
even when regular troops are present, and
therefore the custom should be established
here with regard to the University battalion.
But fatal to the contention Is the fact that
there is little or nothing in common between
the Military Academy cadets and the Uni
versty cadets. The first are a portion of
the army under pay as such, every cadet
Outrankiug any non-eOmmissioned officer,
and they are under orders from the Seere-
tary of War and an undiSputed portion Of
the military establishment OF the country.
NOT CONNECTED WITH THE y. G. C.
What are the University cadets? Certain
students Of the State University whose Of
ficers are selected by the Chief Military In
structOr, but with the assent of the Presi-
dent Of the University, and then, and not
until then, commissioned by tie Governor
whether he will or will not; their arms are
issued by the Adjutant- General Of The State,
not as the service but as the Board of Re-
gents may require and the Governor then
approve; upon graduation OF retirement
such officers may resign their cOmmissi ions
or hold the same as retired officers of the
University cadets, liable 10 be called into
service IN case OF war; invasion, lnSurrec-
ton or rebellion; and quarterly reports are
made by the Military Instructor to the Ad-
jutant-General.
Where is their connection with the Ma
tional Guard, except, perhaps. remote and
theoretical one, and then only rs regards
the commissioned officers? In what way is
IL responsible TO any military authority save
its Military Instructor and primarily the
Board of Regents? If the University Bat
TALON is, under the circumstances, entitled
to the right of line over organized troops of
the n. g. c., then, it is claimed. can every
military battalion of any college in the
State claim like precedence, and IL every
college battalion. then, it Is asked, why not
also any Independent military company, if
military courtesy decides the question?
FOR THE WORLDS FAIR.
One of the features at the Worlds Fair in
VI 81 ia
ants in which will be represented the Ma
tional Guards of the States. A movement
has been started in this city with view to
have California represented at the eXpOsi-
ton by battalion of three companies of
minimum strength-about $50 men.
In the carrying outOf this plan the Worlds
Fair Association Will he shortly asked to set
apart $4,000 out of the 100000 apprOpria-
ted for the exhibit of the State. 1t is be-
lieved that the three companies can be
transported IN tourist cars about for $4,000,
leaving the remainder for necessary ex-
penses, though $1,000 will not cover them,
so that more money will have to be con-
tributed by other sources. The tourist cars
will be used as headquarters at Chicago. If
the plan is agreed upon the mode of select
ing the companies or the men Tor the bat
talon will present problem.
The selection will undoubtedly have to be
made after some competition in military
dDu WIFI LliS lUbd III nlUu LD6
opinion seems to be that one company
should come from the southern part of the
State, another from San Francisco and the
third from the northern brigades. But the
subject is only in embryo and the discussion
has not gone further than above related.
The djutant-General favors the scheme.
HE HAS ASSUMED COMMAND.
Regimental orders of the First Infantry,
issued on Thursday, read as follows:
Having been elected and commissioned Colonel
First Regiment Infantry, Second Brigade,
National Guard OF California, aud having
qualified pursuant 10 law, hereby assume com
mand OF the regiment. l sincerely trust l shall
receive the same hearty assistance and CO.. per-
alton from the officers ana men accorded to my
predecessor, the present brigade commander,
General Dickinson, so that the efficiency of the
regiment may be maintained at its present high
standard aud, II possibly increased. The al
tendance at the parade as escort 10 President
Harrison, as well as at the annual MUSTER proves
cOncusively that the esprit de corps so charac-