The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-29
COLONIES MUST EXPLAIN.
Militia Captains Wrathy Over
the Reduction in Allow
anCeS.
They Have Demanded Old-Tlme
Amounts, and They Expect
Them Paid on Monday.

The National Guard in several parts Of
the State, particularly this part, is threat
ened with very serious controversy
within the next few days and it is the sole
topic of discussion in the citizen soldier
armories. The colonies in the numerous
regiments were the gentlemen who acqui-
esced in the reduction of company allow
ances during the memorable months in
which the board of reorganization was at
work. At that time it was seriously in
tended to eliminate a number of compa-
MES from the roster in order that the
reduced appropriation might properly
cover everything. National guardsmen
generally saw the necessity and the wis.,
dom of such reduction until it leaked
out that this and that regiment would
have to be reduced to battalion size to
bring the RATIONAL Guard within the APP
preparation limits.
The colonies protested very vigorously
against the reduction in size of their own
commands, but the board of reorganiza-
ton was obdurate. The generals on the
board held conference after conference to
try to arrive at some arrangement which
might satisfy the regimental commanders.
Finally the board proceeded to enume-
to suffer. This was becoming serious for
the colonies, and they Immediately joined
forces to determine on a way out of the
trouble 1t was finally resolved that they
should propose to the board of reorganiza-
ton that every company in their respect
i've commands would consent to accept $75
instead of 500 a month as the State al
lowance for armory rents and other mill
tary expenses. This proposition proved
cd irah ont nf no fu
The board of reorganization accepted it.
The company commanders knew nothing
of this famous victory the colonies won.
When news of it did reach them their pro-
test was even more vigorous than the one
the colonies made at the outset. There
were Indignation meetings and mutter-
ings of rebellion in company quarters and
all manner of dissatisfaction and revolt.
For 1t was the captains who were to suffer
and their companies would have to suffer
with them. They vowed trouble for the
colonies and the day has just about ar
rived.
On October 1 the quarterly allowances
will be paid to the companies in the
National Guard. As a rule the captains
have ignored the arrangement made by
the colonies and have forwarded their old
time demands. These call for 500 for
each company, and there is not enough
money in the appropriation to pay such
accept SIS, and it is very likely that the
captains demands will be returned to
them with official information that $75 is
the limit in the new allowance game.
Just what the captains may do about it
is what the fuss is going to be about, and
no one can tell anything vet. Undoubtedly
the colonies will be called to account by
the company chiefs and asked to explain
upon what authority they reduced the
company allowances. It is rumored in
some of the City armories that the row
will proceed so far that few of the COM
panies may leave the service.
Captain Filmer of Company of the
First Infantry said yesterday: II was
surprised when l heard that Colonel Bush
had consented TO reduce the company
allowances to SIS. Nothing had been said
to me about it, and l knew of the matter
only when the newspapers mentioned it.
/ have forwarded the usual demand for
500, and | propose to get it or know the
reason why. My company cannot get
along on SIS, and we will be obliged to pro-
test vigorously against such an unwar-
ranted reduction"
Captain Filmer's remarks express the
sentiment of the captains generally.
On Monday next the demands will be-
come payable.