The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-17
RIVALRY IN THE FIRST,
Two Candidates for the Posi-
ton of Commanding
Officer.
AT NEXT MONTHS ELECTION.
A Lively Time Expected Among
the Militia Infantry
Officers.

An election will be held in the First
Infantry Regiment, N. G. c., early next
month, to till the vacancy caused by the
expiration of the term of Colonel William
P. Sullivan. 1t will not be quiet election,
for there are two candidates in the field.
Colonel Sullivan will run again for his
present office and Lieutenant-Colo
Bush, who for two years has been second
officer of the regiment, will run against
him.
Behind this dual candidacy for the COM
mand of the regiment there turks tale of
considerable interest, which dates back
from the time Colonel Sullivan first started
to agitate the plan of getting the regiment
all under one roof. This incensed the
Nationals and G of the
First-and the candidacy of Colonel Bush
is generally attributed to the influence of
these two companies.
The trouble between the regiment and
Companies and G began when the new
armory on Ellis street was about to be
built. Colonel Sullivan opposed the build
ing scheme, because, he said, if at any time
he could secure an armory in which all the
companies of the regiment could be safely
and comfortably housed, the building ven
ture of the Nationals would then become
a serious drag on their resources, for they
would have to join the remainder of the
regiment.
Notwithstanding this edict of authority,
the Nationals continued on and built their
armory and are now occupying it, but
Colonel Sullivan's guest for new armory
has not abated, and should he order them
into it after securing a suitable place they
cannot but obey For this reason it is
plain that the Nationals would sooner have
a colonel in power who would allow them
to remain in their present quarters unmo-
Tested than help to continue in Office a
colonel who may at any time cause them
serious inconvenience.
Lieutenant Colonel Bush has informed
Colonel Sullivan of his proposed candi-
dacy, and the fight is on with a vengeance.
There are seven companies in the regi-
ment each one casting three votes from
its officers. Besides this there are two
majors and the Northumberland and the
colonel, making a total OF twenty-five
votes which may be polled to elect the
commanding officer. 1t is expected that
Lieutenant-Colonel Bush will receive the
united vote of Companies c and G and
the vote of one of the majors, but the re-
mainder seem, at least at this tlme, to be
with Colonel Sullivan.
Lieutenant-Colonel Bush's commission
will also expire within a month, and he,
too, will have an opponent should he fail
in the race for the colonelcy and decide to
run again for the position he now holds.
1t is believed among the officers that Bush
is not popular with the men of the regi-
ment, as he certainly is not among them
selves He is considered too officiOus, and
too willing to claim and to assert authority
which does not belong to his rank. 1t is
only the line and field officers who vote at
the election, and the contest will be a
lively one.
Lieutenant-Colonel H. P. Bush enlisted
i'll Company ii of the First Regiment in
June, 1870. He was soon after made a
lieutenant, and then on April u, 1872, was
elected captain. From that position he
was in April, 1891, elected to his present
position of Northumberland.
Colonel Sullivan enlisted December 8,
1873, in Company III of the Third Infantry
Company IL was soon after made Company
A of the First. In January, 1880, he was
made first sergeant and in August, 1881,
he was elected lieutenant. In August,
1885, he was made captain and regimental
adjutant; January II, 1888, he was elected
major; November T. 1890, he was elected
ieutenant-colonel, and April 8, 1891, he
was made colonel.