The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1898-09-01
A VOICE FROM THE RANKS
A Yakima Boy Writes an Interest,"
Ing Letter on Company Politics.
CAPTAINS SMOTHER PETITIONS
Primaries OF the Three Reform Parties Held
on Saturday Evening. A Large At
tendance and No Frietioa.
Spokane People.
PREsIDIo, Cal, Aug. %, 1898.

Preside, Cal, Aug. %, 1898.
Mr.. Chas. Bailey, North Yakima:
Dear Sir-I take the liberty Of writing
. few lines, which you can use II you
want to. send you the following para
graph from the report relating to our Of.
ficers, which gives our sentiments ex.
actly:
The volunteers from the state OF Wash.
inRton, nov that the sword has been
sheathed, are anxious to be mustered
out, but fear the desire Of some OF the off.
cers to extend the brief period Of their
authority may place obstacles 10 the way
OF the contamination Of their wish by
using influence to defer disbandment IN.
til a. late day rs possible. II We elimi-
nate the patriotism OF the officers from
the proposition and give them credit for
not caring particularly about the author.
ity their shoulder straps give them, their
reluctance to return TO civil life is nat.
ural enough. for great many OF them
are drawing q higher salary than they
ever had before or are ever likely to have
again.-San Francisco Report, Aug. 20.
send you also q clipping from the
Examiner which gives the petition that
was signed by some of the companies.
Two men from Company d are under ar
rest, and some from the other battslions
are in also.
! The form Of the petition was as follows
Respectfully forwarded to the Hon.
John l.. Wilson, United States senator
from the state of Washington.
1--WE, the undersigned, enlisted men Of
Company -, First Washington Vol
unteer Infantry, do represent and petition
as follows:
"First--It has been announced that the
chief executive of the United States has
ordered volunteers mustered out of the
service OF the United States as far as
practicable in conformity to the desires
OF the men themselves.
"Sscond-We therefore respectfully Pc
tition the Hon. John L. Wilson to use
bis best endeavors with the president
and war department to secure the early
discharge of the First regiment, Wash
ington Volunteer Infantry, on the follow
ing grounds:
"First-That with the declaration OF
peace We believe that there is no longer
a necessity for our services.
"Second-That in many instances our
business or family interests demand our
presence at our respective homes, which
demand upon US Ia second only to the
call Of our country in time Of necessity.
"Third-That there is an important
election in our state this fall, from par.
ticipating in which we will be disfran-
chised unless soon released from military
service"
Dire punishment awaits the authors oil
this paper, but the authors are yet to be
found. Some OF the blanks were discov-
cred by the officers and sensation was
the result.
The Second battalion OF the regimen,
is quartered on Angel island, and four oil
the blanks found their way to four OF the
companies there. Lieutenant Colonel
Fife issued an order that any one signing
petition would be placed under arrest.
| The men claim that as they are to be
mustered ont, the sooner it IL done the
better. The privates claim that the Off.
GERS object to being mustered out be
cause they are getting better salaries than
they receive at home. A strict investi.
CATION 10 being made.
was told this morning that . letter
was sent to Yakima purporting to come
from Company E refuting your statement
Of the boys regard for Captain Scudder.
I can say for the company that only a few
Of them saw such a letter or knew that II
was sent. 1t was written and sent by
few OF the non CONS who were afraiC
of their jobs. Yours truly,
FRONT RANK.