Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-07
LET THE BOARD ALONE.

The present state Military Board con-
sists of the Governor. the Adiuiant-Gen-
cral. the senior officer or Volunteers,
the Assistant Inspector-Generai. and the
Secretary OF the Commonwealth. Three
of these are Richmond men. ito Of whom
uhe Adjuiant-Gene and the Assistant
Imspector-GeneraD are required by law
TO reside here.
The proposed bill which Mr.. Lewis. OF
Culpeper. says is being fought by "A
Richmond ring takes off all the pres
ent members OF the board except the
Governor and the senior officer of Vol
ustcers. and puts In two more Richmond
men.-to wit. the Colonel of Cavalry and
the Major of Artillery. and also Colonel
Male. Of Culpeper, the senior infantry
,sgimental commander.
What is the sense and propriety OF this
change? Is there any complaint that the
board has not fairlyfsnd impartiaily per-
formed its dutieE Governors Cameron
Fitz Lee, a9r|McKinney and Judge
Fiournoy wsTe while in office, members of
fiaiif- hs2 I'D. Colonel Male. whine he com
manded the brigade. was on the board.
IAN the supporters of the pending bill
point out anything showing unfairness?
What Is at the bottom Of all this? Has
somebody an axe 10 grind. or is there
some spite prompting all this muchado
about nothing?
Instead of the proposed bill being OPP
posed by Richmond ring" the Off
GERS opposing II are from the whole state.
Norfolk. Hampton. Newport News, Smith
field. Suffolk, Franklin. Petersburg, Farm
VILE. Blackstone. Lynchburg Salem. Iiar-
risonburg. Woodstock, and Abingdon are
among the places whose officers and men
are opposing the reorganization hill or
any other bill TO interfere with the pres
,nt military system and arrangements
piasension will almost surely come
from this useless agitation. and what is
more. the service will be injured.
The present law has been in force
eleven years: four Governors have worked
under II. and no complaint has been made
,xcept by few, and by those few with
out adequate ground.
The State Military Board dishdrses
about Slo,oco per annum There are certain
charges. made so by the law, and
the board distributes the residue Of the
appropriation. giving to each headduar-
iers an equal allowance. and the balance
OF the fund is paid over 10 the compa-
MES, about s. 30 per man. That the distr-
hutton of this fund has been fairly and
wisely made to the best interests of the
service we truly believe Not dollar
has been spent that cannot be properly
accounted for, and we feel sure that
Virginia never expended any money more
productive of good results. 1t has been
the means OF encouraging and sustaining
our volunteer system and has kept our
companies up to a standard of efficiency
that they could hardly have reached
otherwise.
The best thing that the Legislature can
do with the pending bill is to dismiss it.
If passed. II will magnify and extend
the dlssensons already existing amongst
the Virginia military. For many months
there have been dissensions in the First
Regiment, and dissensions were created
elsewhere by the heated contest over
the election Of a brigadier-generai If
the Legislature could do anything to heal
these differences. IT would be wise and
benohcont act upon its part; but it is
starting out In the opposite direction.
And II is quite as fair 20 say that the
supporters of the pending bill belong to
"Rchmond ring as to say that It's
opponents belong TO Richmond ring
II the House of Delegates will listen 10
calm statements on the subject, it will
fnd out that this reorganization bill. in
stead Of being in the interest OF the
volunteer service is against that inter-
est. We trust that 1t will not be passed.
Indeed. we feel sure that the Legislature
cann,t advance the cause Of our volun-
teers more acceptably or more effectively
than by leaving the Military Board alone
Ii II good. honest, and competent
board Ii has done excellent work. SO
let II stand as 1t is at present consti-
tated.