The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-15
sUBvERsNE OF DISCIPLINE.
POLITICAL METHODS CANNOT BE
APPLIED TO MILITARY.


/ Putting a Period to Commissions.
! Measure to Come Before the senate
TO-day--Senator GrOvenstein's OPP
position Is SOught-NIeeting of sa-
vannah 0ficers Was TO he Held
! TO-night-Early Action in the Sem
ate Makes Meeting Unnecessary.
The Hardwick bill to make pres ent mil
tary commissions expire Feb. /. and TO
limit those given thereafter 10 three years,
was currently discussed among the officers
of the Savannah military yesterday neaI-
~ all of whom are opposed 10 1t. In fact,
OF those who were heard to express an
opinion there was but one who was NOT
inclined to believe the measure strongly
prejudieial to military discipline ana
threatening to the efficiency of the volun-
teer establishment of Georgia.
A meeting of an commissioned officers in
Savannah was TO have been held tonight
at the officers quarters in the First Regi-
ments armory, Col. A. r. Lawton. COM
handing, having issued the cali as senior
officer Of the city. No doubt there would
have been a large attendance, as eonsid-
cradle interest has been manifested the
officers Expressing themselves as DESTROYS
of doing anything possible in order to de-
feat the measure when it comes up in the
Senate, the House having passed Ii.
Col Lawton learned by wire from Capt
Ripley of Atlanta, however, that the bill
win come up in the Senate to-day for ac-
ton. That being the case, it would be
Impossible for the officers to adopt any
plan I'm time for it 10 be effective. Col
Lawton decided Therefore that it would
be useless to hold the meeting tonight
but wired Capt. Ripley of his objection TO
the bill lie also wired Senator Groven-
stein, who, knowing that The measure is
| uhtaVorably regarded in this section, win
Doubtless use his influence to secure its
defeat.
Capt. Ripley was also written by Col
Lawton, who gave some of his reasons for
opposing the bin. His 4 / er is as fol ows
headquarters First Regiment of In
| tantry, Georgia Volunteers Savannah,
Ga, Dec. "A, 1s99.--Capt. Thomas j. Rip
ley, Fifth Regiment Infantry, G. ", At
lanta, Ga. Sir: | am this afternoon in re-
ceipts of your telegram reading What is
your opinion of act pending in Senate de-
claring all commissions void after Febru-
| airy, 1902 Wire me- Senate votes to-
morrow. Capt. T. G. Ripley"
| / have just answered you as follows.
| Yours received. am unalteraby OPP
posed to the bin for periodical commissions
as being utterly subversive of all military
discipline and accomplishing no good. Ex-
animation will show that very few COM
missions last more than three years any
| how; almost none beyond five. Even If
some Objectionable men be thus ousted,
| damage will far exceed benefits. Have
no doubt many excellent officers, who
could easily be elected, would refuse to
| Stand. Officers meeting called here to
rot DsVaCN 1.aF ,-1wv
ate prevents meeting. Am satisfied all
here unanimously oppose-which l beg
| now to confirm.
II noticed in this mornings paper the
result of the vote in the House Yesterday
on this matter, and at the suggestion of
many officers took steps to call meeting
| of all the commissioned officers in the city
Tomorrow, to express our opinion upon
| this legislation. 1t was impractical to
gather them together earlier. Your in
formation that the Senate votes to-mor-
row makes such meeting unnecessary,
and I will, therefore, not have 1t.
'"The telegram really expresses my
views. If 1t is sought to have the ranks
of the commissioned officers of the Geor-
gia volunteers filed with men whose chief
claim to excellence is popularity, nnd be-
ing hail fellows well met with their men,
/ this bill viii probably accomplish that re-
suit, but If excellence is sought / know
| than such a course as this.
'It is impossible to apply political meth
DDS to military discipline; indeed. I have
| always been of the opinion th9t one of
| the weak points of the state militia was
that officers were elected INSTEAD of APP
pointed. know that it is impractical %
change this, and I do not advocate any
| change, but the very fact that ii is neces-
| sary to do this is certainly one OF the
reasons which prevent absolute efficiency
and the striotest kind of discipline. AS
| the law stands now, officers frequently
have TO come up for election in case Of
promotion to the next highest grade
"Col. Obear told me that an examination
| by him of the records showed hat there
| was a very small number of officers with
| commissions that lasted longer than three
years If you will confer with him. you
can get the facts as to this. I do not see
that anything can come of 1t except
stirring up of bad blood, and giving OPP
| portunity 10 malcontents TO vent their
spleen. 1t will also result in my opini =
in the loss to the Georgia Volunteers of
some valuable officers who will not care
TO stand for reelection under any circum-
stances. Very respectfully, your obedient
| servant Alexander r. Lawton,
"Col LIST Reg. Inf, G.. ""
Col. w. G. Obear was at first in favor
/ of the measure and made such recon-
mendation to the Advisory Beard. Not
| long since, however, ne itFuicdted 10 pa
yannah officers that he had changed his
views, and it was thought from this that
the measure had fallen through and would
not be offered in the House. That 1t pass
ed that body, though needing the vote Of
the speaker, which was given 1t, to receive
| the necessary majority is taken as evil
/ dence that ii may go through the Senate,
and those interested in the welfare Of the
| military of the state men as wen as Of
fcers. will watch the reports of the action
| of that body with no little anxiety to see
what Is done 1t is hoped Senator Grow
| enstein may work against the bill and Sc
| cure its defeat. In the event of its pas
sage in that body, 1t is not improbable
| that strong influence win be brought upon
| the Governor to induce him to veto the