The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-10-03
SOLDIERS ARE ANGRY
Re- Election of O'Brien Proves
a Bitter Pill
He WON THRouoH TREAcHERY.
Tseoms Inssstry omcers Broke Ssa'
Gus PIedge-Meve to stop Appro-
psSasioE for the Guard

There IL deep dissatisfaction among the
Seattle n,ernpers OF the National Guard at
IN. re-slsctlou OF Ross G. O'Brien as
adiufsat general. and the feeling y rs made
deeper t.y the claim that his success was
due to treaefery on the part OF some OF tne
Tacoma officers in going contrary to the
action Of q caucus in which they took
part.
A canvass OF the commissioner and iine
of GERS before the meeting st Tacoma day
before yesterday indicated that hot nght,
and perhsps deadlock. Was ia store, an
less compromise could be reached. For
brigadier general the eavalry wanted
Capt J. II. Ashton, and the Tacoma m
fantry companies insisted upon either
Col W. j. Fife or LieuI-Coi. Shank:
while the candidates for the adlutant-
gsnerasship included Major f. 5. Ingra-
ham, Capt. ". A. kimbail and Gen. X.
G. 0'Brisn. In order to prevent clash
the entire First regiment and the cavalry
went into caucus, and agreed that separate
ballots should be taken for each position
aud that the candidate recsiving the
highest vote In each case should be the
caucus nominee. The choice Of the caucus
wss Ashton for brigader general and In
graham for adjutant general. The Seattle
men, iubl.ant At the prospect, calmly
awaited the election.
When the officers had gathered together
Col. Pike was nominated by the Second
regiment and Maj. Ashton by the First.
Ashton was elected on the frs. ballot. re-
csiving majority of three votes. the Seat
tie men. with q single exception, standing
solid for tho caucus nominee.
As soon as the result was announced q
change of front among the Tacoma an d
Olympia men was the first sign Of tseach-
cry. member from Olympia. one OF the
caucus, nomIn ated O'Brien, and Clarke. of
Tacoma, nominated w. A. kimball, q
resident Of Portland ranking as captain on
the pay roll Of the regular army. Ingra-
ham was nominated by Capt. J. J. Weisen-
berger, of Whatcom. Four ballots were
taken, and each one showed that Olympia
and Tacoma were intent on knitting Ingra-
ham. The cavalry. however, stood by tho
decision of the caucus. and voted for the
nominee to q man. After the fourth
ballot Ingraham withdrew, and Port
Townsend and Whateom gave to o'Brien
the votes that elected him.
A Tacoma man who deplores the result
Of the election, maintained that If the
First regiment officers had stood solid
they and the cavalry together could have
elected either Maj. Ingraham or Capt
Frost adjutant general. The Second regi-
msnt was solid for o'Brien, and with the
aid Of several First regiment votes, sue
cseded In eiecting him.
O'Bricn, with triumph In his bearing,
acknowledged mis- election, and then in
x.tt h. n.
his feelings with regard TO his opponents:
"Thers are many things that could be
said at this time that had better be left
unsaid. Recrimination is not now in order
There is q portion of the officers OF the
National Guard who are soldiers and gen.
tlemen, and another portion that can never
be either. tCries Of Name thempI If the
officers who have nnaliciously interfered
with the administration of my office had
spent the same time about their duties.
every thing would have gone smoothly.
There has been talk of lsxity of discip-
line IN the National Guard. want to tell
you that | have the word of the CON-
mander-in-chief that from this hour every
officer will be held strictly accountable Tor
the fail and proper performance of his
official duties"
The Seattle and other First regiment
companies tell long tale OF grievances
against Gen. o'Brien. of which the follow
ing are a few; Ths members Of the FIRST
Regiment band have been measured re-
peatcdiy for uniforms. but In the past five
years the only clothes received were oae
oyercoat and dress coat for each man,
which long ago were worn out For
long time the band has depended for IA
tigue uniforms upon the old east-off aud
condemned clothing of the companies. and
at the state encsmpment last summer tbs
men were ohagrinsd and Inundated at
seeing the uniforms previously ordered
for them on the backs OF the
members of the Second Regiment
band. The caps were all marked
al" The two bands agreed first rate, and
the Second regiment boys thought the
whole affair huge joke. AtGoy. Mctsraw's
Inauguration the band was present by
special order of Gen. o'Brlen, who guar
anteed the regular union rates for musi-
clans. The guarantee vas worth nothing.
and TO this day the band has not received
one cent. In order 10 force payment a
suit has been brought against the sdiutsnt
general and II now pending More than
this the three Seattle companies have
been held % ragged uniforms until they
have been ashamed to appear on parade
When company went TO the encamp-
ment last summer. il Was necessary for the
company. out Of its private fund, to buy
uniforms, in order to appear presentable.
They knew the uselessness Of applying to
the adiutant general. These are only a
few OF the thousand instances which have
aroused the antagonism to Gen. o. Rrien.
During the eneampment a. Woodland
last summer the election Of sdjutant-gen-
eral MAS a mooted subject ana the officers
spent great many Of their spare mo-
ments in talking over IT, General o'Brien
Vas strangely quiet on that question, and
IL Is said tina, he talked on the subject bat
few tunes and then only in private.
When asked about the coming election he
said
Well, I'm not working for nay election
just nov and l don't think this proper
place tor such proceeding. ! have no
doubt that there is number of officers
here tn camp who sre dotng ali In their
power 20 Try and down me next October
/ doaI ask for their votes. | only want
the votes Of those who have examined the
the record have made since have been
In office.
II consider that I have done = rr~s.
deal for the National Guard Of Washlnr.
ton. l have made my position What IL
nov Is, aud think taat deserve some
consideration and respect at the hands Of
those who have the gooa ef the National
Guard st heart itook ray present position
when IL Vas nothing, and nov. when
have built IL up So that ia Is worth some
thing, they try 10 grasp u away from me.
NV sole object IN thls life Is faT the good
al the National Guard. want 70 Bring II
az 80 a standard 50 that when get old
can lock around on scene IKE this and
Say; 'rais Is my work. This Is my mon
umenL'"