The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-27
MARINES NOT GUILELESS.
HE WHO WILL HUMBUG THEN
MUST KNOW 4 FEW THINGs.

WAsH1SGToN, Dec. 26.-Tho origin OF the
phrase Tell that to the marines" employed
70 express contempt for the EuiIelessness and
Eullibility of sea-soldiors, ia shrouded in mys-
terry. The man who first made use Of the term
must have lived far inland, or, II no really
over saw any marines, he was peculiarly de-
ncient in tho capacity to Judge them properly.
There can be few things told to the American
marine OF to-day that he doesn't already know.
The purveyor of gold bricks of all sorts is learn
ting to cross the street when he espIes a mo Tern
marine bearing down upon him. II stands TO
reason that q maj OF average intelligence
and without q little more than average intelll-
kenco no cannot enlist In tho marine guard of
the American navy-who is likely to have boon
round the world several times on q man.of-wAr
within tho perioo Of a couple OF enllstments,
cannot be blandly simple.
Tho marines OF the American navysare ane
soldiers. They undergo more rigid discipline
and perform at least twice the duty of tho SOL
diers Of the United States army. Five years
OF service In the marine guard give o certain
dignity to tho man who, II ho had remained
ashore, would perhaps never have learned the
meaning OF tho word. Marines draw less
than the pay Of rated bluejackets, and dong
D GOOD deal more work for their pay, are never.
theless suppo sed to set a good example of faith
fulnoss and sobriety for the men with the bell
bottom trousers, and when they fail 10 do this
they are punished much more severely than
are bluejackets for precisely the Same offences.
A bluejackot petty officer standing at the
mast side by side with a private marine, both
charged with some trivial misdemeanor of
exactly tho same sort aboard ship, doesn't get
half the dose from the commanding officer
that the marine: does, because not 30 much
ttrai0htforwardness is expected Of him. al
though he wears a rating badge.
Whenever unusual occasions have demand
cd the services Of marines ashore, It has been
discovered that they know how to soldier up
" the top notch. When the big railroad
strike in California was in progress In the sum
mer Of 1894 and the skies OF many of the coast
cities were lurid with the flames of incendiary
fres, the marine guard stationed at the Marc
Island Navy Yard was called out to serve with
tho regular army troops at Sacramento, True
kee, Stockton, aud other California towns. In
aiertness, activity, devotion. and general SOL
dierliness they showed themselves quite the
equals Of. the army troops. and the Colonel of
artillery. a fair man. In command Of the entire
brigade, did not fail 10 dwell upon this fact in
bis report to the War Department. One of
the marines at Truckee bent the stock of his
rifle in clubbing q violent rioter VINO after
ward was. convicted as an accessory In ditching
n train and causing tho deaths OF four soldiers.
Tho marine was reproved by his company COM
mander, and he cam near getting . court
martial on the charge of destroying Govern
ment. property. Bullets said the COM
mander, are cheaper than rifles"
Marines often get into tight places in per-
forming landing-party duty, yet American
marines have never been known to show the
yellow in such work. \ few years aRo. when
Antonio Ezeta. the Central American a~gitator,
was being chased by the Government authori-
ties of the republic OF Salvador. he took nsy-
lum In the residence Of the American Consul
at La Libertad. on the west coast. The popu-
lace ragged around the American Consulate. and
word was sent to the garrison on the outskirts
of La Libertad that Ezeta was cornered in the
Consulate. There was an American gunboat
in the harbor Of La Libertad. and the marine
guard. consisting of twenty men. under the
m Of n sergeant. was sent ashore By the
commanding officer at the request of the Con-
sui to protect his residence and the refugee
within IL. for Ezeta was a citizen OF the United
Etates. The marine guard arrived at the Consul
ate at the same moment with a battalion of
ESQ Salvadorean soldiers. led by a gilt be-
decked General. The marines surrounded the
Consulate. and stood off all the swarthy. bare
footed. Observation-Disclosures Salvadorean
in disguise was slipped to the beach ana taken
! off to the warship. which carried him to San
courts for violation of the neutrality laws. He
would have been torn limb from limb by tn.
citizens and soldiers, OF La Libertad han it not
been for the score of marines. A Captain of
one Of the Salvadorean companies was an
American free-lance from Rochester. y. Y.
He ragged over the pusiltanimity OF the dark
skinned soldiers he commanded. shouting:
IF l had half n dozen marines of the United
StaEes navy I'd undertake TO lick the whole
damned Salvadorean ARMY" His men didn't
understand English.
leading stun published with regard to the al
legged cat-and-dog life led by marines and sail
the ssa-soldiers aud sailors on a United States
Narship get on we'll together. There is not
ne-tenth, as much pickering between marines
and hlueJacKets as there is among the blue
Jackets Themselves. A marine, recruit, Just
tssigned 70 To- a ship. constantly develops symp,
and toolishly lays. the foundation Of gears
OF unpopnlarity for himself BY taking ad-
es he can for the blueiacke.s. Such a recruit.
. however. Is quickly called to order by the older
men of tho guard. Ordinarily. the marines and
aud there are few liberty parties OF hluejackets
bound for a good time ashore that are not &C
yited along TO help the sailormen dispose of
their money. for. out OF his S13 a month, the
marine does not have a deal for shore use.
American marines occasionally have been
accused OF undue severity in dealing with blue
guard. hut careful investigation has proven
generally that the severity was necessary.
Ing the marine guard, and having the neces-
aary guard duty aboard ship, such as the watch
Ing OF prisoners, put In the hands or regularly
detailed bluejackets. 1t has been found, how
ever, that a blue1acket put on guard with a
cutlass over another blueiacket IS much more
severn in his treatment of the prisoner than u
marine ever is. This hes been found In cases
where the entire marine guard Of a ship hos
been ashore on landing party duty, with tho
s-.ult that in many, cares some part OF the
prisoners anatomy has been laid open by a
blow with the bluejacket guards crtlass.
Notwithstanding the more rigid discipline
and the greater hard ships endured by marines
lnen who have served in both services invaria-
bly, prefer the marine guard TO The army.
After a man has made q cruise as Il marine the
lust for wandering takes possession Of him.
and he finds II hard to endure the ~quietude and
monotony OF regular army harrison, LIE. On
one of the ships OF the Pacific squadron there
Is an erect. Rray-mustached, tine-looking ma
rino corporal, Alexander Woods. He has worn
the uniform of the United States for thirty
years lacking six months. First he was If
teen years in the marine guard. lie got tlred
OF Crawling into an old bag"-the man-of-
war mans oppression for turning into his ham
mock at highland SO he decided to try an en-
listment of shore soldering. He went into an
Infantry regiment, and was sent to Fort sid
pey.. Neb., outside OF Fort Wingate, New
Mexico, and q few French Earrisone in AL.
geria, Fort Sidney. Neb., is the most lonesome,