The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-19
STATE TAKES THEM BACK
SOLDIERS WILL NOT HAVE TO PAY
FOR OLD UNIFORMS FURNISHED.
Governor VIII Also Ask Appropria-
ton to Refund Those Who Bought
of Government.

Governor Mount yesterday publicly an
nounced plan he has had perfected for
some time in regard to the uniforms and
supplies furnished TO the troops by the
State 1t has been charged that the State
intended to charge the men full price for
the old clothes furnished last spring, which
is not true in any particular, according to
the Governor. When the troops were or
dered to report for muster into the volunteer
army last spring they were wearing the uni
forms of the State, which were, as a matter
of business and good public policy, he says.
charged up to them on the quartermaster
generals books at the original price paid
for them by the State. This rule had al
ways obtained in the militia 1t had been,
however. the policy when old, worn-out uni
forms were returned to the State for the
quartermaster general to receipt for them
and store them away as unfit for use, al
though on the state books they were COM
PEELED to represent full value in order to
keep the accounts in order In this way
large number of uniforms accumulated in
the storeroom al the Statehouse which had
been discarded by the militia.
When the war broke out many changes
were made in the regiments. Many new re-
cruits were without uniforms and the gov
eminent was at the time unable to supply
them at once. The State then offered the
old uniforms to the men and the offer was
accepted. Following out the system OF
bookkeeping, the old uniforms were charged
to the troops at the same price originally
paid for them by the State, but it had never
been the idea of the state officers to compel
the men to pay that price for them, but
rather it was expected to receive them back
as soon as the government furnished better
ones and receipt for them the same as would
have been done had they been turned in by
the militia Without explaining this plan
thinking to militia officers it would have
been plain enough, the Governor did not
reply TO the many accusations made by the
soldiers and outsiders that the State was
bleeding" the soldiers after the plan of a
Bowery second hand clothier. And now that
the muster out of the troops has almost
been accomplished the plan of the Gov
ernor reveals itself.
CAN TURN IN UNIFORMS.
Yesterday, in the ordinary course of bust
ness, Governor Mount instructed Quarter
master General Richardson to receipt for all
the old uniforms returned in by the soldiers
who took them from the State last spring
and relieve them from all responsibility for
them. The benevolence of the Governors
plan became apparent to the soldiers at
glance as under it they will not be charged
with any part of a uniform worn by them
during the war; as would have been had
they drawn new uniforms from the govern
ment. III addition to this Governor Mount
announced that ne intended to introduce
bill in the Legislature this winter asking
the State to appropriate money enough to
refund to such soldiers as drew uniforms
from the government all the money de-
Tan fOd ma W
eminent. In discussing tho matter yester-
day, Governor Mount said that last spring
when the soldiers first spoke 20 OF buying ane
pointed from each regiment to look over the
uniforms and fix a uniform price to be
charged for them. In the One-hundred-and-
fifty-seventh Regiment, at Tampa, the
board consisted of Major Feaser, Major
Fitzgerald and Lieutenant Colonel May, VINO
half of the original cost. This amount was
afterward reduced to about one-third by the
state officers themselves
Governor Mount ascribes the most of the
agitation on the subject of the clothing to
Democratic newspapers and professional
calamity howlers, who by their example
the Spanards think that our army is in
state of mutiny and fit for nothing. The
State has, he says, always felt a paternal
interest in it's soldiers, as was evidenced by
it's erection of the best army hospital ever
constructed, when the troops came home
for muster out. Many people criticised the
Governor for what they termed making
the troops a part of the pumpkin show at
the state fair, but in doing so he says he
was thinking long way ahead. He real
lied that some time would elapse before the
troops would be entirely mustered out, and
that by that. time cold weather would be
here. He reasoned that if the soldiers went
to Fairvew Park they would have no protec-
tion from the weather except their tents.
At this time Of the year it is generally
more or less rainy, and wet tents are not,
according to the Governors experience, the
finest covering a soldier can have. AT the
fair grounds the buildings are always avail
them there it was with the idea that the
muster-out might take longer time TO
complete than was expected, ana that the
fair, lasting only few days, would make
little difference to the troops in the long
THE STATE AND THE SICK.
The State said he, has tenderly nursed
its sick soldiers When the One-hundred-
and-ffty-seventh Regiment came home not
one of the regimental surgeons was able to
do duty. Since that time they have been
busy making examinations and have little
time to devote to the sick men. The trained
nurses which the State provided for the
sick soldiers were, of course, much to be
preferred to the details of hospital attend
ants, which the regiment would have been
compelled to use had not the State pro-
vided nurses. So efficient was the hospltal
service the State gave it's men that When
the State announced it was to close its camp
hospital Lieutenant Waterman protested,
and, after consultation with Colonel May.
for the government if the Sttae would keep
the organization complete. This was done,
and at no time has there been anything but
praise on all sides for the way 1t has been