Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-10-02
Montana Officers Are Not Un-
popular With Men.
WHISPER OF Discomfort
Is Confined to a Very Few of the
Privates--B0ys Have Learned
a Good Lesson.
Special to the Inter Mountain.

Special to the Inter Mountain.
San Francisco, Oct. IAN Inter Noun
tain reporter today made careful inquiry
concerning the report that some officers
of the Montana regiment are so unpOpu-
lar that the soldiers will refuse to march
under them through the streets of Butte.
The story is unanimously denounced at
the Preside as absolutely false. 1t is
true that the assignments of a few Off
GERS were unpopular with some of the
men. Occasional incidents are related in
which such officers are accused of hav-
ing displayed unnecessary harshness in
individual cases which men who were
used to the unrestricted rights of
civil life resented, and will not forget.
But no Montana soldier will throw a
damper on the magnificent and generous
reception awaiting the regiment by any
exhibition of personal feeling. The boys
are going home in a harmonious and
cheerful spirit, glad to escape the hor-
rors Of war, justly proud of their splendid
record. as soldiers of the republic and de-
lighted to realize that their deZOtlOn to
their country's cause met with the gen.
erOus appreciation of the patriotic. peo-
pie of Montana who will gather at Butte
to do honor to the returning troops and
mourn those who died in the perform
ance Of duty. If there are a few heart
burnings they will not crop out in the
presence of the great public of Montana
assembled at Butte for a time of general
rejoicing. OF course, there were hard
ships and suffering ontthe Pennsylvania
en- route to Manila which seem to have
been without excuse, being the result of
cold neglect if not inexperience; but with
that exception the boys are disposed to
regard their trials as the fortunes of
war, and in their joy at returning alive
and we'll they are willing to forgive, if
they do not forget. the men responsible
for all avoidable privations.
The private soldier means to be just in
his criticism. He knows that a brave
"a should be fair. He gives to his SUI
perior officers prompt obedience and full
credit and makes proper allowance for
the effect of the heavy responsibilities
| which devolve upon them. This explains
the general good feeling and mutual re-
spect existing between officers and men
of the Montana regiment. Those officers
who shared the dangers and the food of
the private and furnished proper exam
pies of courage, %fortitude and patience
are beloved by every private in the regi-
ment. The only whispers of discomfort
are heard in those cases where the ap-
pointments or assignments were of un-
popular men, and as it is difficult to fix
the exact responsibility in all cases the
oolulCto dlC uolAS WHY llClS hlChluS.
Time. will bring out all the facts and
then, once restored to civil life, those who
have grievances will be heard from, as
they deserve to be. In the meantime they
have nothing to say, for they are soldiers.
What gives the observing visitor to the
Preside particular pleasure. especially
if he be a Montanian, is the high order of
intelligence possessed by the men. What
ever may have been their mental status
when they went to the war, they have
come back keen. well spoken, quick
witted, we'll informed, interesting and
discreet men. The war has been an edu-
cation for them. 1t has ~broadened their
minds, sharpened their powers of OBJ
servation and taught them to think and
act for themselves. They know the BEN
efits of extending American trade in the
Orient. They know that where England,
Germany and France can sell hundreds
of millions of dollars worth of goods an
nually the United States can do the same
with the same facilities as to harbors
and ports and evidences of power to pro-
tect markets once acquired. They know
that 900, 900, 900 people live along the east
coast and islands of Asia, and that bust
ness is to be done with them. They know
hat Portland, San Francisco and Los
Angeles can be made the Boston. New
York and Baltimore of the Pacific coast,
of the west will find a market for all they
can produce, in the Orient, which is many
thousands of miles nearer America than
it is to western Europe. That is the
practical side of the situation, and as
Manila is one of the keys to Asiatic trade
it is not strange that the returning SOL
diers are impressed with the value of
the country in which they have risked
precious lives to uphold the dignity of
the American flag and to punish those
who fired upon it and abused the men
sworn to protect it's honor. Not all the
| N1nnflnQ CnIHiprc rn nvnnn c,n n,c%, H..
they are all doing a good deal of think.
ing on the subject, and they are going
to ave a powerful influence in shapin
public sentiment in Montana when the
issues of the next campaign shall be
made up. Just now, however, they are
American soldiers, caring little abou,
politics, anxious only to get home with
credit to themselves and to the great
state of Montana, and hoping the people
with full hearts will greet them as
valiant sons of the greatest government
on earth. saying to them: "Wel done
thou good and faithful servants, ant
three cheers for the First regiment Of
Montana Volunteers!' r.