The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-22


Several friends of the officers of the Ma
tional Guard feel that some statements in
an article giving the expenses of the late
State ncampment contain a reflection upon
the mounted officers of the brigade. Moth
ing of the kind was intended. The number
of officers Of the brigade and the regiments
and their STATS is specified by law, and by
law they are entitled to compensation for
horses, the number of which is as few as
can be got along with, considering the duty
performed. No one who knows them will
believe that General Mckee, Colonel Ross
or other regirnental officers would charge
for more horses than they actually used,
even if the law did not specify the number
and the charge for such animals. The
amount Of money which such officers as
General McKe and Colonel Ross receive
does not begin to compensate them for the
time and the attention they give to the
Guard.
The journal has made no specific charge
that the money expended was not COW
cred by proper vouchers, but the fact that
the large mounted staff of Governor
Matthews had quarters provided has afford
ed just cause for criticism. In the first
place, the presence of from six to a dozen
member of the Governors staff, idling
about the camp, has no warrant in the mi
litia laws. A year before these titled and
uniformed gentlemen came to the encamp-
ment, and, because no quarters were pro-
vided for them, went away in high
dudgeon, denouncing the Quartermaster-
general This year it was given out that
those entirely superserviceable gentlemen
would have quarters if the National Guard
should be compelled to go without tents.
The State camp of instruction is designed
for d;Sciniina and hard work. For the
troops nearly every hour is taken up in
drills and camp duty. This heing the case,
the presence of six or a dozen members of
the Governors staff as idlers is subversive
of discipline. If the immediate representa-
tives of the Governor are on the camp
ground for a good time, the rank and file
will assume that they should not be worked
as hard as General McKee's orders have
required. The Governor and his staff, be-
yond the Acknowledgement and the Quar-
termaster-general, nave no excuse for be-
ing on the ground except the day of the
Governors inspection.
It is well understood that the members
of the Governors staff were furnished
quarters, ana very abundant quarters. 1t
has been stated that they paid for their
~rations, but it has not been made clear
whether or not they paid for the horses
MIL AA1G So - = 49,
State paid for them ard that the bill for
them is included in the general bill for
battery and other horses. True, it is not
much, but it is in violation of law and
CONTRARY to good order and military dis
cipline." If such men were furnished
horses, the Commander-in-chief, Governor
Matthews, is chargeable with whatever
censure may be due
No expense for the school of instruction
for the National Guard which is devoted
to that purpose and to the comfort Of the
men in camp can be wasted. For the
money expended no State has more to
show than has Indiana. No State
has more efficient officers than
those in charge of it's brigade, its regi-
ments and its batteries. In no State have
the troops, when called into active serv-
ice, acquitted themselves more creditably.
The Guard is necessary to the mainten-
ance of law and order. and should re-
ceive the encouragement of all the intelli-
gent people Of the State.