The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-01-07
KICK FROM THE SOLDIERS
Gen. Goblin, of Pennsylvania, Does
Not Want His Men to Come Here.
He Says That on Other Occasions
His Men Have Been Arrest ed, Ill
Treated and SwindIed.

Surprise and little indignation was
OcCasioned at Inauguration headquarters
this morning by a dispatch from Harris
burg, Pa, criticising the people Of Wash
ington and trumping up charges OF "bun-
Going" Pennsylyanians here during former
inaugurationS.
In an interview, State Senator John p.
S. Goblin, of Lebanon. Pa, commanding
the Third Brigade of the PENNSYLVANIA
Militia, said:
Il am opposed to taking the Guard to
Washington, principally because all of the
expenses, except that OF transportation,
are borne by the men themselves, and it is
not fair TO ask them to do it. Then, when
they go in, this manner they are not under
orders; they are free agents; they are in
vited guests. ~'@
Whenever the Guard goes to Washing
ton they are imposed upon; +; not only the
men, but the officers also. IL we want
horses, we are charged an outrag eous
price-far out OF reason. The Officers
cannot get a place TO sleep at any of the
hotels, unless they are willing TO pay for
three days. IL we are there hut two days
we pay for three. and then there are always
three and four in a room.
Then, again, the men cannot carry
enough ratons for ali the time they are
in Washington, and when they go to the
stores TO purchase food they are imposed
upon in the matter OF price, and as con-
sequence they are always in bad humor.
"A man wants TO wash his face when he
gets up in the morning, but Pennsyl-
vania guardsman cannot 10 il in Washing
ton il he depends upon a citizen TO lend
him wash basin and give him some
water.
1T has become fashionable In Washing
ton when Pennsylvania guardsman kicks
on the high prices and the extortion prac-
ticed on him to have a policeman handy,
and that policeman is only too glad to ar
rest n Pennsylvania soldier boy.
why, in Washington, the last time the
guard was there, some Of my command
were arrested for stealing when it was
proved that they We're not within five
squares of the man who was robbed. The
charge OF theft was totally dsproved.
THE men are there of their own free
will and on their own time, and yet we are
expected to keep them in discipline. The
Guard should not be taken away TO any
city TO assist in a celebration unless the
men are provided with food and quarters
by the people OF the place they are visiting.
Philadelphia and New York always pro-
vided for the Guard in the best possible
manner and made the boys comfortable.
The only courtesy we get in Washington
is from the army officers. l am against
taking the Guard to Washington, and have
no hesitancy in saying So
Executive Chairman Bell, by way of
comment, said: 1T is most unt tust and the
Pennsy sylvanians are the first and the only
ones to complain
Another gentleman at the headquarters,
who has seen several Presidents escorted To
the White House on March 4, said that the
Pennsylvania militiamen who come here
are many of them tough, quarelsOme fel
lows, who get drunk and engage in rue
tions'' on every street corner
Mr.. Bell called ut noon today TO obtain the
Presidents consent to tho use of the White
House grounds for Il reviewing stand near
the north fence.
LieUts. Stacey and Scott, of the Newport
Artillery, Of Newport, r. l., have engaged
quarters here for ! so of their men.