The morning times., 1896-07-05

The question OF camp is still hanging
fire, but, strange as II may seem, IL Is The
fault OF the Commissioners.
The Commissioners, and il may be news
to the Guard, are almest III command now.
Nothing in which there is any expense
can be done without their sanction. They
must sign all contracts and leases whicn
arenow made, and if headquarters wants Il
bottle Of ink, a reQuisli"D must be made
on the District Commissioners. AT least,
that is the way the Commissioners are look
ing al it.
uen. Urdway. however. takes Il different
view OF the matter. He holds that, as in
the past, he should simply account for
amounts. and should not make reuuisitions
for bottles OF ink and horseshoe nails
for the battery. He has handled the
Guard in this way in the past, and expects
TO do so again in The future. II there is to
be double administration of general af
iairs In the future the Guard is dead.
HOW THE TROUBLE AROSE.
The trouble hasa risen over the armory
During the winter. as all guardsmen know.
there was more ct less difficulty in the
drill hall. Gen. ordway was blamed by
many persons who did not know the facts
III the case. The ia cts are that he was
standing up for the rights Of the brigade
anu at one time threatened to place
sentlnels at the door OF Convention Hail to
keep out all people. III the terms of the
lease were rot lived up 10 and the Guard
could not use the hall he was determined
ho one else should. II was claimed that a
number OF men were made sick 10y drilling
III the hall after il was secured, and o.
these statements some officers are liable
tc get into trouble. No reports Of such ILL
hess were made or there would have been
an official investigation ordered at once
Now IL company officer reports that the
hall made his men sick Il cuurt-martial
may stare him in the face for not attending
10 his duty.
These reports at last reached the Com
missioners, and they sent up man to in.
vestigate- He reported that Gen. Ordway
was signing vouchers for the rent Of the
han and that the hall was not being used
The fact of the matter is that the vouchers
were not signed until a few days ago. But
all this trouble led to the Commissioners
asking Congress TO place a clause in the
District appropriation bill making IL obi
gatory that all moneys for the National
Guard OF the District must be expended On
vouchers approved by them. The law
Went I" effect July l , and the result has
been seen.
AFTER THE MONEY.
Almost as soon as they could reach the
COmmiss toner's a delegation from the
Washington Light Infantry and the Ma
uonal Rifles called on the commissioners
wanted the armory rent money divided.
Ihey knew they could never get it from
Gen ordway. Butsince the Commiss sioners
mad something to say, they thought they
could make 1t, and the old story OF the
driil nan was made their foundation for a
complaint.
The history fthe rent form armoryinthis
City is On interesting one. Some years ago
congress decided that $4,000 a year
was enough to pay for rent a nd no one has
been able to change thatidea. Itwas found
by experience that that amount was too
smaii Tor separate armories. Every avail
able building in the city was canyassed and
pressed into service, and still the rental