The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-13
THAT SEEMS To BE THE EFFECT
OFF THE NEW
CODE.
NOT A PART OF THE TROOPS,
AND CAN NOTy BE UNLESS THE
GOvERNOR WILL COMMISSION
OFFNCERS.
LABOR MAYq OPPOSE THIS PLAN
Les 1t he Taken Advantage of by
PinkertOn and His Business
Prototypes.

The Boys Brigade has been knocked
out by the new military code which
provides that no organization may drill
with arms unless it is recognized as
state or federal troops. The Boys Bri-
gade is neither, and so, after the new
code had been made public, 1T was dis
covered that it no longer had any legal
right to exist unless the governor
would take advantage Of section ~
make. it's. different companies reserve
companies Of the legdlsr militia. Har-
ry b. Hendley, of Plymouth church,
Minneapolis, the commander of the
Minnesota Boys Brigade, was one OF
the first to discover the effect OF the
new o He took the matter up at
once and addressed a letter to the gov
ernor asking that the brigade might be
permitted to continue it's work under
section %. He asked specifically that
the governor would commission field
and line officers for three companies
constituting the battalion now known
as the Minnesota Boy Brigad7, so that
they might be conformed to the new
military code, as a reserve battalion to
the state militia" Accompanying the
letter which Mr.. Hendley sent to he
governor was a petition to the same
effect signed by Mayor Robert Pratt,
Representative w. r. Cray, Judge Rob
ert D. Russell, Senators E. G. Potter
and j. T. Wyman, r. G. Evans end S.
F. Olson. The governor referred the
matter to the attorney general, who to-
day returned an opinion to the effect
that the brigade might be organized as
a military reserve in accordance with
the petition, but subject to duty in
time of emergency, as follows:
1 beg to acknowledge the receipt Of
the communication of Harry B. Hend-
ley, Of Minneapolis, transmitted by you
to this department for the purpose of
securing my views as to your authority
to commission field and line officers for
three companies constituting the bat
talon now known as the Minneapolis
Boys Brigade, so that they may con-
form to the military code as a reserve
battalion to the state militia.
By section 107 Of the military code it
is made unlawful for any body of men
whatever, other than the regularly or
gained national guard of this state
and the troops Of the United States, to
associate themselves together as a mil
itary company or organization to drill
or parade with arms in any city or
town of this state except the regular
organization known as the Sons Of
Veterans. 1t is further provided that
students in educational institutions
where military science is a part of the
cours of instruction., may, with the
consent of the governor, drill and pa
rade with arms in public under the
superintendency of their instructors.
Section % ofdthe' act is as follows:
"The commander-in-chief may, in his
discretion, organize reserve companies
and commission their officers, provided,
however, that no such reserve COM
pany or member thereof shall receive
any pay, compensation, supplies or
other allowance from the state"
1t would seem from the cCmmunica-
ton of Mr.. Hendley, together with
one of later date addressed to myself
upon the subject, that the organization
which he desires commissioned by you
is composed Of young men connected
with various church organizations, u
with no UNCONVENTIONAL test as a requl
site to enrolement. The objects of the
organization as stated by him are
'the moral and physical training and
development of the boys and the in
culcation Of patriotism and good citi-
%Zenship." The organization is COM
posed largely of young men of military
age and has been in existence in this
state for five years. Doubling their
authority to maintain their military
organization in view of the provisions
of the present military code, they seek
relief through section % thereof, If
available for that purpose.
Undoubtedly you are authorized to
commission field and line officers for
field and line companies, and | see no
reason why you might not comply with
the request of Mr.. Hendly and the cit
liens who ave petitiCned you in be-
half of the said brigade. / wish to add,
however, that in my view of the law.
the reverse forces contemplated should
be forces capable of efficient military
service in ~case--ofea public e~Xlgency,
and in such respect are not distin-
guished from the regular military Or
CARNATIONS of the state. The mere
fact that the rank and file of the said
brigade are drawn from certain organ
izations does not, in my judgment, af-
feet the question. The material fact
is the character Of the company as
finally organized, and I incline to the
view that the brigade might properly
be deemed a reserve force within the
meaning of the statute.
The provision of the code which
strikes the Boys Brigade also strikes
the Hebernian Rifles and any other or
g%anization in the state that has been
QT1lllnS Will dAllS, dllu, Il tllcSS OCu6l
organizations continue, they must be
made reserves the same as the Boys
Brigade.
An interesting question arises as to
what will he the attitude of organized
labor towards this new departure. La
Dor bodies always have looked with
suspicion and distrust upon the mill
tary forces, and, if the brigade is made
up in part Of boys of age to do military
duty, it is not a sure thing that the
labor bodies will not try to prevent
the governor from complying with Mr..
Hendley's petition. If he complies
with it, there is the further possibility
that the labor bodies themselves, or
some of them, will equip themselves
with arms and ask to be made reserve
companies. This they have long threat
ened to do anyway,and, the issue hav-
ing been made by the Boys Brigade.
they may wait no longer to make the
test.
BOOK CONCERNS TROUBLES.