Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-07-27
The COMING Annual muster.

The Coming Annual MuSter'
The Budgets Bennington correspond
emit has the following: At the muster of
the National Guard at Brattleboro next
month comes the competition between
the rifle team from the University of the
State of Vermont and the team from the
guard for the silver loving cup. The
original intention was to have this cup
contested for at the recent competition
at Fort Ethan Allen, but the experiment
tal conditions under which the contest
was conducted were sucn LndG IL was
found necessary to postpone the match
until the encampmentof the guard. The
day selected is The 18th of August.
Considerable comment is being made
throughout the guard at the way the
prize to be contested for has been Sc
cured. The cost of the cup was about
500 and of this amount the University
team contributed $4S. Now each one of
the twelve companies in the regiment of
the guard are asked to contribute 81
each, which will make total of $4S from
the regiment. This cup was procured
mostly because of the interest aroused
in the matter throughout the guard by
Captain II. E. Tutherly, United States
army, now on special duty at Burlington.
They are very enthusiastic in their CO.
operation with Captain Tutherly in his
efforts to stimulate rifle practice, but
they are inclined to grumble and do at
the penuriousness of a State which calls
upon them to contribute from their own
pockets towards the purchase of prize
for which they are TO compete. They
were perfectly willing and anxious to as
semble at Fort Ethan Allen at the request
of the Governor and make every possible
In arlr 1oT1
ship for the credit of the Stste instead
of for personal benefits. But, it is diff
cult for them to understand why they
should be requested to contribute, not
only their service to the State without
any remuneration, but to furnish the
prize as well. 1t is one of those things
that it is difficult to understand.
Another matter that is causing some
considerable dissatisfaction throughout
the guard is the fact that, contrary to all
former custom, Company l of Brattle-
>boro has been detailed to make the camp.
1t is generally understood that this will
relieve the several companies from send
ing any details to Brattleboro to prepare
the camp as has always been done here
tofore. Consequently it is understood
that the pay which these details would
have received for the service of prepar
ing camp will go to Company l instead.
The pay is 50 per day for each man en-
ployed in making the camp, and VIII
amount to about $40 per day for every
day so occupied and will make quite
handsome sum to put into the treasury
of that company or distribute among
its members, over and above that TO be
paid to the other eleven companies.
Whatever may have been the object III
selecting Company to prepare the camp
no one knows except "the powers that
be-" This fact however, remains, that
if the usual allotment of pay to each man
prevails, 81 per day, the other compa-
MES in the regiment will lose consider
able money which has hitherto been ap-
portioned TO them. All things taken to-
gether, it is no wonder that there is at
present discussion among the guards
men, which savors strongly of criticism
and dissatisfaction with the policy now
employed toward the State militia, and
which it is hoped the incoming Cover
nor, who has himself been a soldier, will
improve.
The assistant adjutant generalship of
the guard question is yet far from being
settled, and it begins to look as if
strong fight will be made at the next ses-
sion of the legislature to defeat the re-
election of General T. S. Peck to that
Office, and who is announced to be a can
idate for reelection. There is senti-
ment in the rank and file of the guard
for the election of Colonel G. G. Kins-
man of the First Regiment to succeed
General Peck. Already the friends of
General Peck have written letters to
parties in different parts of the State ask
ing them to use their influence in his be-
half. IT. has been announced that Col
onel Kinsman would not be candidate
for the position if General Peck was a
candidate for reelection. Colonel Kins-
man told the Budget correspondent that
while he was not putting himself for
ward as candidate, and would make no
effort to have his name presented, yet if
there was an opposition manifested to
the re elect of General Peck he should
not object to his name being used and if
elected should not decline the Office.
The Colonel was for two years assistant
adjutant general of the department of
Vermont q. A. R., and is as competent
to perform the duties of the Office in the
National Guard as any one.
The long, faithful and meritorious SER
vice of General Peck is not lost sight Of,
but there is an impression that the Office
is not life one, that he has held it for
years, that promotion is what every man
expects aud that his continuance in Of
flee is bar to such promotion.
did CononofeeIone