The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-26
GUARDS WILL co
Kansas State Militia to be
Mustered First.
LEEDY MUST GIVE WAY
Wichita Has Eighty-FOur Men
Ready.

The National Guards have won out in
their efforts to get due recognition in
the organization of troops under Presi-
dent McKinley's call. When it was first
given out that Leedy would not give
the state militia any preference in the
matter of being mustered in, there was
much hard feeling on the part OF the
citizens They thought as did the guards
themselves that the men who had put In
years drilling, maintaining company
Headquarters and standing ready TO re-
spond at any moment to the call Of the
state, should be recognized in organiza-
ton as they had drilled. Governor Leedy
however, ignored the guards on the plea
that they should remain at home as To-
cal protection. He commissioned recruit
ing officers to raise the quota apportion-
ed to Kansas. and said that all guards
men who desired to go into the service
would have to leave their old companies
as such and re-enlist The guardsmen
took the matter up. Friends of the COM
panies over the state were not disposed
to let matters go that way. At Newton
the citizens were indignant and the dis
cusson finally induced the commercial
club to take the matter UP. A number
Of citizens called on the governor and
asked that the guards be given the pref
erence. as they had been in every other
state in the union. He refused. even af-
ter a score of his warmest and closest
political friendshad called on him.
At Newton ex-Congressman Peters
sent this telegram to Senator Baker at
Washington:
Newton, Kan, April "a.
Hon. Lucien Baker. Washington. D. c.
Governor Leedy ignores National
Guards. Second Regiment is fully
equipped in every department on twenty
four hours notice. Can we tender ser
vices direct to secretary OF war? See
him and wire me. s. r. PETERS"
The message was sent Sunday as &C
counted in Mondays Eagle. Yesterday
the answer followed:
Washington, DC, April 25.
IS. r. Peters, Newton. Kansas
The secretary of war advises me that
the National Guard will be the first mus |
tered into the service.
'LUCIEN BAKER"
This would appear to settle the mat |
ter and now when the recruiting officer
comes here commissioned by Governor /
Leedy he will only supplement the eff
forts of the guardsmen.
The telegram means that the National
Guard will be mustered in with their
companies intact, and that the volunteer
work will be supplementary There are
a bout eighty-four men in the Wichita
company and they can be gotten to-
gether in half an hour by Captain
The telegram from the president to the
state governors settles the matter:
The number of troops from your
state under the call of the president,
dated April %, 1893, will be - It
Is the wish of the president that the
regiments Of the National Guard or
state militia shall be used as far as
their number will permit. for the reason
That hey are armed, equipped and drill
ed Please wire as early as possible
what equipments. ammunition. arms.
blankets, tents. etc, you have and what
additional you will require Please also
state when they will be ready for muster
TO the United States service Details
viii follow by mail