The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-11-30
OLLIE D0CKERY
is COMMISSIONED
SECOND LIEUTENANT OF THE
RALEIGH COMPANY.
WORSE THAN COWLES'S APPOINTMENT
The Late Lieutenant Colonel Has Been Draw
ing two Salaries Also He's Asking
for Pension and Suing the
Street Car Company.
Street Car COMPANY.


1t is worse than blunder it is a
crime.
The appointment of Oliver III. Dockery
Jr.. as Second Lieutenant of the Raleigh
company, now in camp at Savannah, Ga.
During the two years he has been in
office Governor Russell has made many
Objectionable appointments-civil and
military; but none, perhaps, has been SO
thoroughly to be condemned as the above.
From no standpoint can it be justified or
defended.
Some three months ago, the readers of
this paper will remember A. j. Crawford
resigned as captain of the Raleigh COM
pany. then at Jacksonville. Before the
vacancy was filled the order to muster
out the Second regiment came and the
matter of appointing a successor was al
lowed to drift along without anything be-
ing done. In the meantime, however,
there was much talk of putting in, as
captain. some one of the Governors IA
yorites in the Second regiment. But
great pressure from many sources was
brought TO bear and this was prevented.
Last week. therefore. two promotions
were made, as should have been done
two months ago. First Lieutenant Bea-
vers was made Captain and Second Lieu
tenant Smith was made First Lieutenant
leaving the Second Lieutenancy vacant
This also should have been filled by
promotion. First Sergeant Chas. G.
Bunch was recommended for the place.
and there are plenty of reasons why il
should have been given him. He is one
of the best drilled men, not only in the
company, but in the regiment. For three
years here he held the medal as the best
drilled man in the Governors Guard.
Since joining the First regiment he has
worked hard and shown himself an officer
of ability and on this account he was
recommended by Col. Armfield for APP
pontment to the vacant Eeutenancy.
But such course was not in accord
with the Governors policy. Not content
with running the Second regiment with his
detestable politics, His Excelency now
turns his attention to the First. And
what he will do for it, if he keeps up his
present lick will be "a plenty"
The appointment of Andy Cowles as
captain of the Durham company was bad
eHOuSu, Dul II 10 HolhiiS 1OhipatiSh ~
Dockery's appointment Cowles has
some military experience; Dockery has
none.
There is not much to say about him
save that he is the son of Oliver III.
Dockery. Sr., and would Not know a
carry arms if he met it in the road.
His prominence is due to three things
his vanity, his ignorance of military af-
fairs and his recent scandalous campaign
and overwhelming defeat for solicitor
The other appontee, who to-day gets
his commission is Andy d. Cowles, late
Lieutenant Colonel of the Second regi-
ment He succeeds Captain Niche in
command of the Durham company.
Captain Cowles began as Adjutant
General. From General he dropped to
Lieutenant-Co Colonel; from Lieutenant
Colonel he now descends to captain. If
he stays in service long enough he may
get TO be corporal before he quits.
All the time, though, he has been draw
ing the double salary of Adjutant Gener-
al and Lieutenant-C Colonel. Wonder if
he will continue the same little game on
the State Treasury, now that hes cap.
tain? And then he's applying for a pen
sion for that broken ankle and suing the
E5tIttL Val NoibpdhS 1cl Hii OF
the same time.
"A slick one is Andy but by the side
of Dockery's commission his appointment
is a virtue
So far has this politco-miltary bust
ness gone that the Governor and his
whoopers-up seem to think the sole mis-
sion of the Hispano-American war is to
give His Excellency a chance to pro-
10 he Ip tboca xyrho fba
pie. by their ballots, have declared they
do not want in places Of trust and honor.
The heeler who is adjudged unfit for any
other official position is given a military
commission. And there is plenty of this
kind to swallow up greedily all that the
Governor offers and even seem hungry
for more.
Now these tin-soldier- officers in private
life are mighty fine fellows, but as off
GERS. Did it ever occur to you to ask
yourself the question how men, who
wouldn't know the simplest military or
der if they met it in the road are going
to care for, drill, discipline and command
Il company of men in Il strange country
and perhaps among hostile peoples?
But maybe that's not what they are
expected TO do. Our troops sare to be
encamped within eight miles of Havana,
] hear. Perhaps these chromos with
which His Excellency has so recently
presented "our boys" will take along with
them their usual amount OF sang froid,
pose on the red-carpeted staircase Of
Havana hotel, smoke native cigars, spout
mock heroics, deceive the ever present
duenna and make love TO the lovely Gu
ban girls.
IF thar wae Governor RuSSalI's and-in-
view then there's something TO be said in
defense of his action, even though it may
be little hard on the Cuban girls.
And then again, for | believe in giving
even the devil his due, my opinion is that
the Governor is beginning to feel sorry
for the Dockery family, three of whom