The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-02-11
local military CIRCLES
Sergeant Katies Budget of News for
Local Members of the Guard.
WHAT OFFICIAL FIGURES CAN DO
They Give the Quaker City Boys n Rating
They Arc Not Entitled tO-Four Vet.
Gran Members OF the Thirteenth
Regiment Other Notes.

The Philadelphia papers have been
paying their respects to Colonel Edward
Morrell, lately in command of the Third
regiment, but who Is now, by appoint
ment of Governor Hastings, inspector
general of the National Guard of Penn
sylvania.
We desire to join our praises with
those of the Third regiment and others
throughout the state, and would COM
mend Governor Hastings for the wis
dom displayed in his choice for this
most important staff position. With
all due respect for our late inspector
general, who has been Jealous and
faithful to the needs of this depart
ment, there is still room for improve
ment, and much of it.
The present system of rating the
guards efficiency by companies, regl-
ments and brigades is simply dscour-
aging, especially as to that part of 1t
that bears on rifle practice. The Thir-
teenth regiment, for instance, has never
stood lower than second, and, until
after last falls inspection at Gettys-
burg the regiment had for many sue
cessive years occupied first place among
regiments; and Company A, of the same
regiment the first place among the 1t5
organizations including infantry, artil-
lery. cavalry and naval militia. On
Dec q special dispatches We're pub
lished all over the state and great
spreads We're made by all the Philadel-
phia papers from matter furnished
probably by the department at Harris
burg.
Figuring for the Quakcrs.
Those hard working clerks down there
had been working day and night to
extract from the footlngs enough to
make spread for the thirsty Quakers,
and a special effort was made toward
the completion of Adjutant General
Greenland's yearly report, because Of
changes in the department that We're
to be made after Governor Hasting' $
inaugura ton. We wondered much,
yes, very much, at the figures pub
lished last December, but said little.
The complete report has been published
and copies of it reached here ten days
ago. Since then our boys have been
looking for short circuits" in the in
Vulnerable array of figures. What has
| been found by careful research could
not possibly be comprehended by a
| Quaker guardsman. The less said about
| 1t the better.
When over seventy men of one COM
pany are reDorted qualified marksmen,
with but siNty-three as the maximum
| number allowed each company on the
inspection roll, said company appearing
to have less even than fifty-five at the
! time of inspection-well! the figures
are called those of efficiency. There is
u pointer in the above for company Of
| ficers.
| 1t appears that no notice was taken
of the average given to the companies
| from last springs inspection, when the
regiment and also Company A led all
others in the state, nor even to the
| total, that would show as follows: Com
| pany A. Thirteenth regiment, 1896;
| CompanyD, Thirteenth regiment, 1917;
! Company c, Thirteenth regiment, 1875;
Company +, First regiment, 19492;
Company II, First regiment, 1925.
| These discrepancies cost much to the
regimental ratings and if our captains
/ had done as others of our sister regi-
ments have done the Thirteenth would
| be in its old place today instead Of sec
ond to the Quaker men.
Notes About the Boys.
Captain Ainey, of Company G, Mont
rose, is making strong pull for a
position on the governors STAFF, and his
chances are said to be good.
The honor of wearing a seventeen
| year pendant belongs to but four men,
! bers the state guard, and those four
are of our home regiment. They are
Colonel Ripple, Colonel Coursen, Major
Mates and ex-Captain Moir.
| Captain Stilwell devoted part of last
| Mondays drill to guard duty"
Members of Company b are working
zealously for the success of their mill
tary ball to take place on Washington S
birthday.
Company d dispensed with drill on
Friday night and talked up plans for
replenishing its treasury.
Sprpeant Katie.