The Advocate and news., 1898-08-03
Kansas Soldiers
Good Record.
An Army Officer Calls Attention to
the FOOIlshmesS Of Criticism Of
Boys of the SunfIOwer
State.
APPOINTMENTS ARE ALL RIGHT

for deliverance from their pretended
friends among the Republican newspa-
pers and partisans in this State, II |
Judge the motives for their attacks
upon the commissioned personnel of the
Kansas regiments correctly" said an
army officer who had himself been
a volunteer during the civil war.
to Kansas City Times man at Leaven-
worth, "If the Kansas volunteers do not
stand high In estimation OF army au-
thOrities, they have no one else to blame
but the every elemtns continually ind
ing fault. Kansa regiments have moth
ing to fear from comparison with reg
iments from other States.
IL notice your local Republican paper
only yesterday heaped a column Of
abuse upon Governor Leedy, charging
the alleged woes of the regiment to in
efficiency Of its officers, many OF whom
1t says, were entirely inexperienced in
military affairs, and were, in fact, mere
political bummers;' yet, in the same is-
sue, 1t announces that the Kansas reg
lment at San Francisco has been hon
Ored with the detail OF one OF its officers
to drill Oregon recruits, while to-day 1t
announces the Twenty-second regiment,
at Camp Alger, made splendid impress
sion at brigade inspection. It's lines
says the dispatch, were almost perfect
and the spectators app1auded gener-
ously. Kansas was given third place
with grade Of 81; Indiana first, with SO;
New York second, with 97h. Major
Haryey's third battalion and Company
X, under Captain Sherman, were Compll-
mented personally by the inspectors.
The New York and Indiana regiments
were members of the State militia five
years. They have this advantage over
the Kansas boys who were raw recruits
with but two months drill. This evil
IDENTIFY does not look as though the Kan
sas volunteers were badly Differed.
I noticed in the same papers a few
days ago a complimentary note from
General Charles King upon the fine drill
the Twentieth Kansas puts up, while the
papers of the State are now publishing
q letter from Assistant Adjutant Cen
eral Theodosius BOtkin. complimenting
Governor Leedy upon the excellence Of
the officers Of the Twenty-frst Kansas.
This officer is Republican in politics.
He states that he had misgivings about
the ability of the officers of this reg
iment, but an inspection has convinced
him that the Governor deserves the
thanks Of the people of Kansas for the
very excellence Of the choice made for
field officers. The regiment, he says, has
a good reputation among the officers at
Camp Thomas, and he congratulates the
people of the State.
Evidence of this kind Is preferable to
that Of people who know nothing about
army matters and of those who do, and
It is fortunate that the facts are finally
coming to light. These attacks upon the
officers and soldiers Of Kansas l regard
as most harmful to the discipline of the
regiment, and the sooner the enemies Of
the Governor OF Kansas make up their
minds that they are only injuring the
standing Of their volunteers among the
troops Of other States the better they
will fare. Kansas will receive precisely
the same show given other regiments.
The volunteer force Of the country with
but few exceptions, has not seen any ac-
tive service. The Porto Rico expedition
will be the first to be composed largely
of volunteers, and I understand the
-Twenty-frst Kansas is among the reg
iments selected.
"The people who attack the officers Of
the Kansas regiments forget that it Is
not always practicable to secure full
complement of well trained officers for
volunteer regiments. They forget that
during the Civil war thousands Of men
were commissioned who never saw
uniformed soldier until the commission
was placed in their hands, and hundreds
Of these came out at the close with high
rank.
From what have seen and heard Of
the Kansas volunteers, the State has
ample reason 20 be proud of its officers
and men. The soldiers should be patient
and time will surely give them an oppor-
tunity to acquit themselves on the field
OF battle. When more than 100000 vol
unteers are in two camps, Kansas with