Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-16
CAPTAIN DOMER EXPLAINS
Neither He Nor His Mon Bear the Emmett
Guard Ill-Will,
but the Fencibles Propose to Look
Out for Themselves to the Extent
of Exercising Their Rights.


Capt. Domer of the National Fencibles, in
speaking Of the communication from Col.
Clay. which appeared in The Star on Thurs
day last, relating to the right of the Emme:
Guard to enter the maiden drill at Little
Rock. said to a Star reporter last night:
MY object in replying to the article pub
lished in The Star is not to advertise our
big benefit. which occurs at the Academy Of
Music on Monday. June IL. but to properly
state the position of the National Fencibles
with reference to the protest against the
entry Of the Emmett Guard in the maiden
contest shortly to be held at Little Rock,
Ark.
THE rules governing that contest are
those adopted by the National Competitive
Drill Association at Omaha in 1872. and, be-
ing member Of the association, l have
availed myself of the privilege OF placing
before the local executive committee in
charge of the Little Rock competition GER
tain facts In my possession. The maiden
drill at Little Rock Is open to all regularly
organized National Guard companies that
have never won prize in an interstate COM
petition or who have never won a first prize
In maiden or state competition. The prizes
In this drill range from 500 to $50, and the
evident desire OF the Little Rock people is to
foster a healthy rivalry between their state
organizations that have never had an oppor-
tunity to participate In the large drills neld
throughout the country. Numerous entities
have been received from companies that
have been organized within the past six
months or q year. and 1t would hardly be
just to compel them to compete with an or
ganization which has been In existence for
the past ten years.
'"1he statement has appeared in a local
newspaper that the Emmet Guard are prnc-
ticaliy in the same condition that our or
aim ton, in, vrin fA re vnutd nn
test at Kansas City In 1SYU. 1 think diff
ferently. At that time the Fencibles had
competed IN two contests. the first being a
squad of sixteen drill in the manual OF
arms. held In the Washington Light In
fantry Armory, at which time our compet-
itors were the Emmett Guard. The silver
cup which was awarded in that drill adorns
the Fencibles' armory. Later in a squad Of
eight drill in the manual OF arms simply,
our team was again victorious. defeating
similar squads representing the Emmett
Guard ana the Merchant Rifles. We have
never denied that we were the victors i'll
Guard is entirely different They have COM
peted at the various drills given by the
lrish,American Military Union annually.
which competitions have always been open
to Irish American companies connected
with this union throughout the various
states OF the country. The fact that these
drills were limited to lrish-American COM
panies does not make them any the less
Interstate competitions. Captain Walsh
does not deny that his company was
awarded first prize in the Newark, n. J.,
contest, given under the auspices OF the
lrish-American Military Union, but claims
that II was not a free-for-all contest and
consequently should not be cited as an
argument against his entry. In answer to
this l might say that neither Is the COM
petition to be held at Little Rock a free
for-all contest. the entries being restricted
to regularly organized National Guard COM
Under
Rifles would not be eligible. inasmuch as
they have not as yet associated themselves
with the National Guard. Consequently the
fact that competition Is restricted to
certain classes OF organization makes II
none the less an interstate competition. Fl
These facts connected with the Newark
competition ] CLEANED from statements
made by Capt Walsh. but the conditions
my own personal knowledge. There was q
restriction placed upon the entry of COM
p2nies for that drill, the color line being
drawn. Our company. AS well others.
received an invitation to participate in the
contests, but declined to enter. The entry
Of the Emmett Guard was formally accept
ed. and 1t was no fault Of theirs that they
had no competitors. During the trip down
the Potomac l had a conversation with
Capt Walsh. during which inquired as to
what companies he would drill against. and
he replied that the affair was badly mixed
up. and he had no knowledge as to who his
Emmett Guard had been In active prepara-
ton for the contest. the company had de-
cided to make the trip to see whether or
not they would succeed in securing the
prize money. After arrival at the drill field
no competitors appeared In the class with
the Emmett Guard. The company. how
ever. drew for a place in the drill, the re-
suit being that they appeared second on
the list. One Of the rules governing the
contest was that companies would not be
permitted to witness the drills Of the other
organize lions preceding them on the drill
field In accordance with this rule the EN-
met Guard was requested to retire behind
the grand stand and wait their turn to ex
ecute the program. The company. prior to
Its drill. was put through rigid inspection,
after which II drilled the program as fur
nished by the judges, and was scored and
timed. the percentage being 81 and the time
twenty-five minutes. The judges of the
drill were Lieut.. W. Is. Horner. NTH United
States artillery; Lieut.. W. X. Havillin, fifth
United States artillery, and Lieut.. e. A.
Muller, third United States artillery. If
this were but an exhibition. as claimed,
why was the Emmett Guard inspected, why
timed. why restricted as to movements ex-
ecuted. why scored on those movements.
and why excluded from witnessing the drill
of a prior company: The fact that the
company received but $3.50 instead of the
first prize money of $500 was not its fault,
but its misfortune. 1 may as well claim
that we had not won our drill at Omaha.
inasmuch as We received only -. 1Jo instead
OF $J,UUO, as offered Tor tnat contest. AFTER
the drill Of the Emmett Guard Capt. Walsh
was informed by Col. Nash that as the EN-
met Guard had appeared and gone through
the National Guard drill. they were entitled
to a prize, which. through no fault of their
own they were prevented from striving for
by the non-appearance Of their expected
rivals.
Had the National Competitive Drill As
sc ciati been in existence prior to our
maiden contest at Kansas City, and the
IL cal committee been therefore informed
of the records Of the competing companies
we would have been $500 better off, and
first instead of second in the contest, be-
cause we were defeated by a company that
had formerly won a first prize. believe
In a healthy rivalry between military or
CARNATIONS, as I would foster legitimate
athletic contests, in which senior oarsmen
should be excluded from Junior races and
winners Of prizes excluded from novice
bicycle races. The fact that q junior crew
rows over a prescribed course in a junior
event makes 1t thereby a senior crew, even
If there be no competitors, and therefore
bars 1t from any future junior contest.
II do not deny that our course in this
matter Is animated by selfish motives. Our
company. as 'is well known. holds the title
of champion military organization of the
United States. Nevertheless, we are not so
supercilious as to overlook the ability of
possible competitors. We have everything
to lose in this competition and very little
to gain. therefore deem it my duty to