The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-05-04
Concerning Colonies,

Considerable of hubbub has been
stirred up in Vermont's one regiment
OF the National Guard by the PROPOSE
ton of the Governor to supersede its
colonel, Osman D. Clark, by the ap-
pointment of Major Jocelyn of the
regular army to the command of the
regiment, on its being called into &C.
tive service.
The proposition, even, to do this
thing, under the circumstances, is q
severe indictment Of the militia system
of the State by the very men who have
been for years the most obstreperous
advocates Of the existing military es-
tablishment and the large annual ex-
penditure for its support. They seem
now afraid to follow their theories to
their logical conclusion into actual SER
vice. If there is any reason at all in
the present militia system, or if there
is to be in the future any encourage
ment to this manner of preparing, out
side Of the regular army, large body
Of men for the military defence of the
country, Colonel Clark should be al
lowed to lead the regiment into ser.
vice, and if it shall be shown by expe-
rience that he lacks the requisite mill
tary training, or is deficient in the
other qualities of an efficient command.
er, there will be time enough then to
remove him.
For score of years, more or less, this
State has been expanding some $685.
600 annually to educate body Of men
for the business of war. Colonel Clark
is one Of the products of this expendi-
ture. He enlisted in the National
Guard as private in 1880. He has
been connected with the regiment con-
tinually for period of eighteen years.
He has risen through every grade and
rank Of non-commissioned and COM
missioned officers, excepting only that
Of lieutenant colonel, to the colonelcy
of the regiment. He knows every rung
in the ladder of promotion, excepting
the one named, and he has tarried long
enough in each rank to have all it's
duties and requirements worked into
the grain Of his existence. He has
made business of learning the duties
OF military command in all its details
and responsibilities, and has been an
apt and enthusiastic student of the
business. Now if this officer, with
such record, after eighteen years OF
continuous grinding in the mill of mill
tary education this State has erected,
is not competent to lead regiment to
the field the machine had better be
smashed and the enormous expendi-
ture for its support stopped. Govern
or Grout, and every person who is
advising, suggesting, or sustaining, his
proposed action in the case of Colonel
Clark, is affording the strongest pos
sible confirmation of the judgment of
those who have in the past doubted the
wisdom of the States military system,
and have objected to the large annual
tax for its support and development.
Col. Clark should be allowed to go 10 the
front with his regiment, and to show
in the school of experience what the
military training he has had from the
State is worth, and what the States
militia system has produced for the
military defense of the country. Col.
Clark has the traditional pluck of the
Green Mountain Boys. He is eager to
see service. He is not the man to adopt
the course commended to him by the
apologists of the Governors scheme for
superseding him, and thus either brand