The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-01-23
TO THE PEOPLES JOURNAL:

As one deeply interested in the mater
ial prosperity Of the organized militia O
Pickcns county, desire to press upol
the attention of those Immediately con
ccrncd therein, by reason Of enlistmen
under the act of Legislature approved
December 22d 1894, few thoughts tha
seem pertinent.
Even casual obseiv ivcr cannot fail tc
notice the letllargy that charactcrizes the
Two companies Of this county, and | am
informed that this dcadncss. or lack OF
interest, Is prevalent in military circles
throughout the State.
| Wh!lc 1t Is certainly true that the scar.
city OF funds Is sufficient within itself to
throw II damper OH such rs arc thorough
~ III sympathy with the manly efforts OF
Il few who have worked faithfully for tho
promotion Of the whole, it is nevertheless
true that the present deplorablc state of
things cannot be traced altogether to q
want or funds. The lcgislat tllre in rcor-
Sanizing the militia and rccasting the
laws pertaining thereto, were necessarily
forced to the extremity OF making an ex.
por'mcnt, ana am OF the opinion that
the body did all that could have been
! consistently asked of iC ut that timo.
The moderate appropriation was sufficient
TO enable such o Il companies TO revive
and new ones TO enlist us saw fit to come
III under the new arrangement. Now
that the appropriation of 1895 has been
dispensed, and the men have acceDted
the same. they are bound both by reason
OF their acceptance OF State funds md
their oaths to comply with the law made
expressly for their government.
But to whom shall this Indifference be
charged! 1t is not to the citizens gcner.
ally; they have given every reasonable
encouragement. Let lis lay 1t ut the door
OF Inc proper persons, and In doing so we
VIII find ourselves right in the presence
OF those who have Obligated themselves
by solemn oath.
Men who have sworn allegiance (thcir
loyalty Is not qucstioncO and obedience
TO the government Of the separate com.
pahlcs are so negligent OF the details en-
TONED upon them that unless revival of
interest is forthcoming the two orgauiZa-
tlons III this county are as dead rs IL dis
banded. Somo after being provided with
uniform and gun are seldom seen on the
drill grounds IN reply to the call Of the
officers, but arc often seen parading the
public highways dcckcd in clothes fur
nished by the State. What return arc
they making TO" such advancement? How
can tho few who have worked alone and
hbNN''i''N hoiu olll III lHC I3CG OF SlOn
needless conduct?
Cooperation Is essential to the main
tcnancc of military organization. justas
well as any other concern, and it is high
time these laggards should arouse to
| their duty.
Let us 90 further. Part Of this blame
may be traced TO Il higher source. We
10 not know very much about the cicum-
stances attending the office of AdjutaDt
| General, but it does seem that through
the reduction OF the number OF soldiers in
this State, these companies could and
should he provided with better arms and
better uniforms. At any rate little
more attention to the actual needs OF The
military in this part Of the State would
be appreciated, and rewarded by q great
increase in interest and devotion to the
military in general.
| But the substantial promotion OF
the interests or the PickCns county mill
tin Is matter within its own hands. Let
those whose conduct has been character
iZed by indifference awake to their prom
iScs and Obligations. They are mostly
responsible for the present trouble, and
their fault borders on criminality.
When VIC learn to do we'll our own
parts, the legislature through wisdom and
healthy desire to promote the general
| vVc al I'll ~ \