The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-25

positively expected, however, that the affair
will be a brilliant one, IS far as the military
part OF it is concerned certainly. There is
mutual good feeling between Gov.-elect Nc
Graw and the militia
The Tacoma challenge noted below has been
accepted in its own terms, and the controversy
over it must therefore begin and end with this
number OF the PosT-INTELLIGESCER. Capt.
Billings is right in saying that such competi.
tons Will improve the guard and have q good
effect on drill and discipline. The battalion
drill of Monday night was much the same as
other battalion drills as far as the evolutions
were concerned, but in no other respect was
it like any other that has been held
for good long time. A long lis. OF
officers was present field, staff and
com pany. Last and first was Hon. John H.
McG-aw, who in a few weeks will become the
commander-in-ch!ef of all .hc forces of this
state. A lot OF officers from Tacoma and else
where were on hand, and various commands
We're handed over 10 them q matter OF mill.
tary courtesy. Leut.-Col. W. s. Shank COM
manded the battalion. Capt. Billings, OF Com.
pany g. commanded company (Boorh's); Capt
/. NJ. Howell commanded E company ungra-
hams), and Lieut. W. f. Clark, of Company C,
commanded D (Hilton's). In addition to the
above officers there were present Lieut.. Mark E.
Reed, of Company A, Olympia: Lieut.. n. s.
Snyder, of Company I, Port Townsend: First
Lieut.. and Commssary H. D. Allison. of Ana
cortes: Lieut.Col J. A. Hatfield, assistant quar-.
termaster general; Col. and Surgeon Z. L. smith,
OF the brigade and governors staff and the Sc
attic company officers. After the drill the ON
GERS got together in the officers rooms and were
presented to the coming commander nchief.
NJ. McGraw made a short speech, and then the
real interesting part of the affair began. What
was said was private, OF course. 1t was not in
tended for any but military ears: no officer of
the guard will say any OF 1t for publication, yet
it is known that after Mr.. McGraw had retired
the officers talked about the adjutant generals
office in q way not complimentary to its present
management. But. OF course. all this was sub
rosa and will never reach the ears OF the adult
ant general or enlisted men, so court martial and
lack of discipline will not result
More About That Challenge.
Below is given q letter of Capt. Billings in re-
gard to the criticisms by the Posr- INrELLIGEN-
GER of Sunday last upon the challenge emana.-
ing from his company. The criticism in question
is an exact report OF the reception accorded the
challenge by the comman ders OF the companies
here. squad still remains a corporars COM
mapd, notwithstanding Capt. Billings objec-
tions. As the good faith and motives OF the
challenge were not questioned. it is not neces-
sary to defend them here. Capt Billings letter
is as follows:
TACOMA, December IS
To THE EDITOR: noticed with some surprise
the article in your last Sundays issue under the
head OF military news IN regard to the challenge
emanatlng from Sergt. Scott, of this company.
for competitive squad drill. In order to cor
rect any Misrepresentation which may have
arisen l would say that had your CORES pondeut
had the mill tary experience aud knowle ige that
the air of assurance perceptible throug bout the
communication would indicate, he would know
that 1t Is nothing unusual nor unmilitary for