The herald., 1896-10-27
TIE. k|CK[RS LINING UP
Against the New Light
Battery A
THE Southern PACIFIC Behind If
Erstwnile Members Object to
Such Machine Rule
CENTRALIZING AUTHORITY
Passenger Agent Steere SLATED for the
cap:ainey
AZ. Also the Positions Of Chairman ard
Af La
Passcn niger Agent Steere SLATED for the
Cap.ainey
AZ. Also the Positions Of Chairman acd
Treasurer Of the Corps
Favors in Granting an Outfit at Cost
of $4,000 to Be Accorded the Bat
terry at the Behest of Coils
p Huntington.


II cannot help but plead to my coun-
trymen, at every opportunity, to cher
ish all that is manly and noble in the
military profession, because peace is
enervating, and no man Is wise enough
to foretell when soldiers may be in de-
mand again. sherman.
The above words are suggestive, but
when read in conjunction with an equal
ly suggestive remark Of General Sher-
mans that War Is hell" one is some
what puzzled to understand how at one
| time war can be pronounced as the
greatest of curses that can affiict hu-
manity, and by inference peace one of
the greatest blessings, and at another
time war be extolled, and the art of
numbering on large scale pronounced
manly and noble. while peace is spoken
of as enervating to the manhood of the
country.
Inasmuch, however, as there has been
powerful clique In congress who, for
| the last fifteen years have talked, both
| in and out of season, on the necessity
| of increasing the standing army of this
| country, abolishing the old-time forts
and concentrating troops near the
way transform the United States army
| from what 1t has been-a well equipped
| and drilled police force-into full
| fledged. old world, domineering army
| ready at a moments notice to move and
| automatically obey the behest of the
president, 1t is not altogether strange
| that Sherman should regard peace as
enervating There are many others who
will coincide with him in his opinion,
| and of these there are some right here
| in Los nAgeles.
| 1t is only about a month ago that the
initial steps were taken toward the for
nation of an organization to be known
as Light Battery A, N. G. C. Since
then, however, there has been "a rift
in the Lutte" and now things are rather
| mixed.
When first the scheme was mooted it
| was received with enthusiasm by quite
a large number of more or less promi-
nent citizens whose souls were fired with
| military ardor at the thought of the
wide swath they would cut clothed in
the handsome uniform. OF Los Angeles
crack corps. A lengthy list of gentle
men who had announced their intention
| of joining the battery was published
some time ago by The Herald, but of
these number have withdrawn their
names, and others are on the fence and
while not in sympathy any longer with
l what appears to be the end and elm
| OF the organization, continue to attend
the meetings In order to assure them
selves beyond peradventure regarding
the rumors afloat.
The little family difference first began
when Henry Steere, assistant travelling
passenger agent for the Southern Paci-
fic, who is an old guardsman and we'll
qualified instructor, began q series of
little talks on the exceeding usefulness
Of such an organization as the light bat
terry; Especially in the event of mob
violence would 1t be of the greatest utili-
ty in restoring order by moving the mob
down with the light field pieces and
blowing few Of the rioters across the
river Styx with happy speed and exact
itude. Steere - who Is in nom
nation for the position of
captain of the battery, and will, it is
SAID, most certainly attain to that honor
-dwelt at great length on this matter
OF mob combat. and made 1t almost his
only theme while speaking of the raj
son d'etre of the ORGANIZATIONS exist
ence.
In the circular printed 1t is stated that
through the efforts of Brigadier Gen.
eral G. F. A. Last, commanding the First
brigade, N. G, c.. and with the coop
Grafton of Senator Stephen M. White,
supported by the gentlemen repre- sent
ing the northern part of the state In
both houses of congress, the ac-
complishment of what is desired may be
considered almost an aassured fact, and
that Los Angeles early In 1897 will re-
ceive from the United States govern
ment four-gun battery OF modern
high-power breech-loading, steel rifles
or 81 inch caliber, complete"
When the fact is taken into consider
alton that 1t takes $4,000 to outfit a
four-gun battery and that many Of the
batteries of the regular army are vet
l "a ~F II
guns, IT will be understood what great
favor is being shown towards the new
militia organization of Los Angeles.
which Is yet In embryo. Many of the in
tending members, while not In any way
depreciating the good will of General
Last and Senator White, failed to under
stand how the government could be
moved to show such pronounced favor
to this city, but the colored gentleman
rusticating In the woodpile was unoov-
cred by Captain" Steere. He Is said to
have intimated very plainly that c. p,
Huntington. the almighty magnate OF
the Southern Pacific, was much icterest-
ed in the formation of the light battery
and is standing behind it. With his in
huence It might be accepted as con-
elusive that the government would outfit
the battery and it would then be the
crack military organization of Southern
California.
Doubtless these assuring words car
ried comfort to the minds of certain OF
the citizens who had announced their
intention Of Joining the battery, but
equally certain is it that others took
alarm. These latter asked themselves
the question: Why the astute railroad
president should SO earnestly desire the
establishment of this military organiz-
alton in Los Angeles? The mere fact
that the influence of Coils P. Hunting
ton cast with the battery should cause
the government to favor the organisa-
ton and award 1t precedence over the
regular arm of the service was quite
conceivable. Recent experiences have
shown how hard 1t Ia to limit and bound
the power and influence of this old bogie
man, and. the key to his plan of action
was found, either rightly or wrongly. in
the iterated and reiterated words OF
Captain" Steere, one Of Huntington'a
subordinate henchmen. His suggestive
plan OF drill for contending against 9
mob appeared. In the light Of the later
dovelopments, to indicate that In thia
A. L - XAe,