The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-29

Officers Like Their Fat Salaries.
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To The St. Paul Globe.
CAMP GEO. H. THOMAS, Ga, Aug.
2S.-In an issue of The G l o b e of some
late date you published an interview
had with Sergeant A. w. Phelps, Of
| Company F, Fourteenth Minnesota
| volunteers, home on a furloug;h, which
l wish to correct, as it does not even
express his own mind, or it has made
rapid changes on the way from camp to
| St. Paul.
In the first place, I, in behalf of 90
per cent OF the boys, brand the state
ment that the Fourteenth wishes to
! do garrison duty in Cuba or else
where, as lie, and known to be so
when made by him. Why he made
| such statement Is a question which
the members Of his company are I'M
| able to solve, IS he was one of the
formost to work against it while in
camp. He may have been afraid to
| state the truth, fearing the result in
case 1T should reach the eyes of the
| officers. If that is the case, we pity
his lack Of courage and would not care
| to Vouch for his actions when called
| into battle. Or, perhaps, the Minnesota
breezes were so bracing as to make
| him forget the true state of affairs,
! anu CliS SSAlLiIcIl VI Tie boys OIL CnS
| Fourteenth regiment, or any other regi-
| ment in camp, upon the question Of
| garrison duty.
| Since hostilities have ceased and
peace Is in sight, the officers of our
| regiment have considered the privates
| as nonentity in deciding the question
| of our regiment doing garrison duty.
They held meeting among them
selves to see how they stood on the
OTrpStiOn III NV,
large majority vote, to tender the serv-
| ices Of the whole regiment to the presi-
dent for garrison duty.
Now, why did they take this action?
Why was the question raised? Why
not await and abide the result that
would be sure to follow Why not wait
until the president decided what should
be done and who should go or stay2
Why did they not find out the senti-
ment of the privates, If it was deemed
necessary to tender our services? Why
take any action at all when we have
enlisted for two years, If it is not to
be left to us to decide whether we de-
sire to go or mot?
These questions might be answered
by asking q few more questions:
What is the average monthly salary
Of an officer? One hundred and twenty
five dollars per month. What was
| their monthly salary as civilians7 To
our personal knowledge, SIS to $3.50.
AS soon as the fact Of rendering our
services were known, several privates
started and attempted to circulate
petition stating, in substance, that the
signers would rather be mustered out,
II left to them, than do garrison duty.
These were promptly suppressed, and
Corporal Harris, a lawyer from Duluth,
of Company G, placed in the guard
house and charges preferred against
| him of inst1gat1ng a revolt. A day or
| two after he was taken before Gen.
Breckenridge, and was told by him, so
we are informed, that the wishes of
| the privates would be respected 80 far
as he could aid them.
| Since, Corporal Harris was presented
with an honorable" discharge, for
| what reason we have not been inform
| ed. Maybe to get his legal knowledge
| and ability out Of the way, who knows?
| Another instance is that of Sergeant
| Kidder, Of Company F. He went into
| a neighbor1ng company street and in
| CURED about the petition, and what
| was being done by others in the mat
| ter. He was ordered to be arrested,
but Capt. Baxter, of Company F, In
terfered, and he was given twenty
| four hours to undo What he had done"
| No further action was taken in that
case.
I cite these instances to show how
| the officers Of our and other regiments,
1 understand, take away, under the
cloak Of military law, what few libcr-
| ties and privileges a private has to
| right the wrongs done him.
Would these officers resign their COM
| missions, in case the Fourteenth did
| not go, and join as a private to serve
their country and receive $3.50?
If their only desire is to be loyal,
and they have no pecuniary object in
view, why not join the regulars and
go to Cuba and serve out their term
of two years?
We cannot blame them for wanting
their fat snaps. Uncle Sam Is a sure
| paymaster and the war is over, you
know But the charge we hold against
| them is the total disregard they show
| and have shown towards the privates,
numbering over 1900, furthering the
interests Of themselves, numbering
some co.
What would be the result, from a
| pecuniary standpoint, should these 30
officers succeed in forcing the balance
Of the regiment into garrison duty?
Everyone knows that the volunteer
army is not made up of a class of men
who cannot gain a livelihood, but Is
made UP of the working classes and
professional and business men, and
when they join as privates at $3.50
per month they make q great sacrifice
of business interests.
Then, again, they have mothers and
fathers depending upon them for sup
port, others mortgages to meet. Can
this be done with $3.50?
The bulk of the young men are now
In the prime of life, and two years of
garrison duty in idleness will certainly
be detrimental to their future welfare
and prospects. All to fill the pockets
Of these half a hundred offNers.
The object for which they entered
has been accomplished. Why should
they sacrifice longer?
Garrison duty should be assigned to
the regular army. A volunteer army
volunteers In time Of danger and &C
ton. After danger is over and peace
declared their duty is at an end.
The regulars are composed of men
who make a soldiers life their bust
ness, and in most cases are men who
find it hard to gain a livelihood else
where.
Several Of the captains took a poll,
after the trouble started, Of their COM
panies. In one instance, one particular
captain lined his men into company
this, in substance: How many in
my company wish to disgrace. me, the
regiment and state by desiring to GO
home, and back out when we have
an opportunity to do garrison duty?'
In this instance. only two had cour-
age enough to resent the insult, and
step forward. At least 80 per cent OF
his company wish to go home.
This is the treatment we get from
the officers of our grand and glorious
free country, and under whose ability
| nd T11o