The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-02-14
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IEge new Adjuta1t General, Capt. A.
ID. Eowles, of Stafesyille, has already
entered upon the discharge of his duties.
He has been here all this week examln-
ing irso the. office and its duties. lie
leaves for his home .today, but will re
turn next week. Capt Cowles will not
live in Raleigh, but he will be here much
of his time.
No change. he said last night, would
be made in the policy of the manage
ment of the State Guard under his ad
m;nistration. Nor w9ll the personnel of
1t in any manner be altered, and every
thing possible, Mr.. Cowles says, will
be done to increase its strength and eff
fciency.
Starting out as a Iew man" he con-
tinued. my endeayor= will be to main
tain the Guard on as high a plane as
/ received it from my able predecessor,
General Cameron. From what | Learn
of it from Maj. Hayes, who has been act
ing as Adjutant Genesal and from ota-
ers, i shall be satisfied il / can turn
ct over to my successor in as good coz
dition as j find ii. / know from personal
knowledge that few years ago, while
the men and officers Of the Guard were
of as high a grade as at present ane
were equally as patriotic there was very
little system in the organization. Gems
Cameron, by his interchangeable efforts and
enthusiasm for the State Guard and;
at the expenditure of much time and
money has broughtlit to its present high
state of efficiency.
'By the way / must confess that I
have always thought t=le office a sort
of sinecure but ON being led into the
details of the work by Maj. Hayes
find that the correspondence from Ma
tional and State officers =and troops and
people wanting records, an1 the like, makes
it almost equal to Auditors office in
point of work.
There is great enthusiasm in the State
Guard at this time and about 80 appli-
cations for the organization of compa-
mics in different towns Of the State are
on file. Six or eight companies have
signifed their intention of attending
the Inauguration of President McKin-
ley ON the 4th of March. / do not know
that the Governor will attend, but
whether he does or not his personal staff,
three of whom are yet to be selected,
will go to represent him. j have great
desire that, if any troops 60 at all,
North Carolina shall at least make a
creditable show in the military parade
1.-THE highest type of man is soldier
and the highest type of a soldier is the
volunteer. A great many of our tax
payers n the State, who see the boys
occasionally on dress parade, are led to
believe that it only means a constant
frolic at their expense. There never
that where property, amounting to mil
lions of dollars, has been in jeopardy, the
prompt arrival of troops has in many
instances prevented its utter destruction,
notably in Pennsylvania and Illinois in
recent years. The material wealth thus
saved on these two occasions would pay
the entire expenses of maintaining the
National Guard in the different States
for many years.
'sBut we need not so to other States
for Illustrations of the necessity Of mill
tary organization, for we have seen
its benefits at Newbern and PranklinEon
recently. And perhaps in other towns
where there is a pest, there may have
been smothered desire of riot and laIy-
lessness. not amounting to tie overt
act for fear Of the civil authorizes CALI
ing to their aid the military. There is
nothing that so effectually brings mob
to It's senses as a few hundred Springfield
rifles in the hands of men moving like
automatic and firing with deadly :effect
at the command Of superior officer.
Il am very fortunate in having 90 ac-
compl.shed a gentleman and gallan. sol
der as Mai. Hayes, Z. s. A., al. of
ficer thoroughly acquainted with eIery-
thing pertaining to the tactics and Jaws
of the United States army, as my alsis-
fant, and adviser. / trust that the War
department may continue his detail here
during my whole administration.
"Gen. Cameron also courteously called
at the hotel to extend his congratula-
tons and offered me8any assistance in
the conduct of the Office that he might
be able to give. All of whuch / very
much appreciate"
Gen. Cowles is a man of about 80,
fine looking and of splendid address.
He has had considerable experience in
military affairs, having been for FIVE
years captain Of the company in his
own town, Statesville, and for two years
previous to that lieutenant. He is a
graduate OF the Carolina Military Insti-
tute at Charlotte.
I'M ut