New-York tribune., 1896-11-15

a. military politics. Where % maay are
scramblins for prizes that are elective. the
posts In regiment or company. 1t follows neces-
sary that there is wire-puling and influence and a
word or so passed down from above TO the ac-
ceptabity Of certain men Many times election
IN company or regiment resolves Itself into q
game. pure and simple. Of practical politics. on
small SCALE indeed but equally interesting.
Were 1t wise to into details. many tales could
De told here Of bitter fights. Of factions and feuds.
almost rending regiment or company asunder.
1t s out Of fiery furnaces like this that Of the
important men of the secondary class have arisen.
and. again, Just these inter-company inter-reg-
ment contests have often crushed promising young
men.
Taken from another point Of view. and consider.
Ing other forces McGrath and Story have always
welded a large amount Of power on their native
heath. 1t be said truthfully that the Brooklyn
military would not be In half such good shape to-
day had II not been for McGraths constant pound
ing. A more rigorous. vigorous martinez and old
style soldier never attached to Albany. OLD
guardsmen yet recall the shiver that went down
their backs when 1t became known that General
Porter and he were the verge Of ordering one Of
the best-known regiments of the city to be dis
banded fer divers good reasons 1t should be said
that there mercy mingled with McGrath's Sc
verify. Having thoroughly scared the entire COM
mand, he recommended. practically that they
should have another chance" Next inspection the
Improvement WAS marked
MoCrath has now left the service. though Joseph
G. Story continues at his old post and both un-
deniable. quietly working forces to-day. Each and
every of their prominent contemporaries has
long since retired. From 1869 to 1885, when the Sec
ond Brigade formed IL a time of remark
able military commanders in Brooklyn. beginning
with John b. Woodward and ending with Edward
l.. Molineux. with Thomas S. Dakin and James
Jourdan In between these commanders OF the old
Second Division OF all the four. Woodward stands
out with most glory beyond doubt the most
prominent National Guardsman. take ii all in all.
that Brooklyn ever had. Not only did he serve
through the and for six years command all the
citizen troops OF Kings. but he brought order out
Of chaos In devsing the present system OF state in
spection 10 replace the old method Of brigade in
spection.
According to the law then, each brigade inspect
cd It's own troops All the Inspector-General had TO
do was TO receive the reports. AS no. 10 per cent or
the BRIGADE inspectors had more than an ordinary
knowledge Of what they were doing. scarcely ever
an expert knowledge tho reports they sent 10 State
HEADQUARTERS were wretched pieces OF work.
Against opposition Woodward pushed bill pro-
yding for State inspection through the Legislature.
These two facts he was able to instance as evidence
Of the Generalization. that In some OF the regi-
ments companies wearing different uniforms would
be ranged side by side. and that a regiment 40
strong would tc able to pass inspection as GO or
more owing 10 the carelessness Of the local In