Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-28
Jan IMPORTANT QUESTION.
Shall Clarksville Have Military
Organization in the Future.
Merchant" Expresses Himself Very
Candidly on that Question-A Mat
ter Worthy of Earnest
Consideration.

1t is meet and appropriate. that a
correct statement should be made to
The public, and to the citizens OF
Clarksville especially, in regard 20
the State Militia in this city, its past
and present status, and the Coal
Gre elk incident. Some six years ago,
nearly one hundred young men here
signified their willingness to become
members of military company,
called the Clarksville City Guards,
organized for the protection of life
and property against lawless vio-
lence. When the time came for
signing the enlistment papers only
about sixty out of the one hundred
signed. This was due to various
causes, prominent among which was
the fact that their employ ers-the
very men who in tine of trouble
would be mostly benefited by the
presence of such company-would
not permit them to join!
Witness the effect produced on the
mob here ON that riotous Christmas
night three years since, when the
boys assembled in their armory with
rifles and ball cartridges, ready to
perforn any duty required of them.
Though they were not put to the test
then, no one doubts but what they
would have met the trial like men.
The mere fact oft their being armed and
ready a0Gs sufficient to quiet the mob,
restore lao and order, and perhaps
sa@e business houses from being
rozed to the ground, ds seas threatened
The q. G. G's. have nothing to lose,
they are employees and possess moth
ing but their impecunious salaries;
their services in the company are
given without pay or hope of future
reward. On the other hand, their
employers are the men who have the
largest interests at stake of any class
in Clarksville and are the L1en who
would derive the most benefit from
their employees In the company. The
boys would still be working for
them. Will not the business men of
Clarksvile look at the matter in this
light and seek to encourage, rather
than oppose military company! in
Clarksville. Your assistance is need
ed. For six years this company has
stood together in the face of strong ad
versity and stern opposition. Now, for
reasons which will be stated further
on, they are dis organized, and up to
date have not secured the requisite
number of men to form company.
The Coal Creek incident has pro.
duced this effect. The G. G. CPS.
were not organized for the sole pur.
pose Of taking a holiday trip to the
scene of trouble in East Tennessee,
where they might have feast OF
milk and honey on the mountains,
as some seem to suppose. On the
contrary they were organized for the
protection OF Clarksville, as before
stated. The same is true of every
company in the State; each is for the
the protection of their.own city first,
though not last. Had the scene of
trouble been here in Montgomery
county the military boys all over the
State would have responded to the
call of duty and honor as CALAMITY in
coming here as your own boys did in
going away.
Now how were the Clarksville
boys rewarded for exposing them
selves to this possible danger and
hard work, for drilling and camp life
are hard work? After suffering the
privations of hunger, fatigue and sus-
pense; the march by day under a
burning sun; the sentinel's lonely
watch through the cold and dew
laden night; obeying without
a murmur whatever command was
laid upon them, yet longing for
home, their reward was the promise
of 43 cents per diem from the gov
ernment, while in some instances
losing their salaries at home. which
appears to me to be very short
sighted piece of economy. Let us
give them the encouragement they
deserve, and Clarksville can boast OF
the best military company in the
State. MERCHANT.