Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-19

| General Charles j. Anderson and Colo
. mel 10. Lane Stern returned to the city
yesterday morning from Habana which
place they left Thursday morning. the
run being made in forty-eight hours
Colonel Stern wore straw hat. and
both Of these gentlemen wore summer
clothes. not having seen anything of the
blizzard till they woke up between Wei
don and Petersburg. on the way nome.
They understood from the brief tele-
grams they saw in the Habana papers
that there was a heavy snow up Nor'h'
but that it was only inches deep in Nir-
einia. The weather vas cool in cuba last
Sunday and Monday, with high Wind'
which drove the water over the top Of
the lighthouse at Moro, a beautiful
sight. but gave no idea OF the severe cold
in the States.
General Anderson and Colonel stern left
Richmond on the 9Th as delegates to
military convention called by Governor
| Bloxham. Of Florida, 20 meet at Tampa,
the special object OF which was TO take
into consideration plans for the reorgani-
cation Of the militia Of the several states
since it has been so nearly wiped out OF
existence by the late war.
MANY DELEGATES PRESENT.
The convention was largely attended,
there being present the representatives.
Of fourteen States. among them States
| as far away as Rhode Island. New York
| Michigan. and Illinois. Nearly all or tle
| Southern states were represented lhe
! delegates generally being men OF hlsh
| military rank I'm their respective States
The scheme favored by this convention
and which Congress will be asked 10
make d law, provides for reserve mill
tin of about 125OOO men. apporuoned
among the several States. based upon
their population. and TO be paid nornl-
nal sum. Of, say. cent a DAY per man
which is a consideration merely 10 make
contract between the soldiers ana the
government legal and binding. so that
the President may at any time, in case
of war have the right TO call on the
militia for service without waiting for
Congress to pass a volunteer blll anu
tben have the volunteers invited to come
forward.
GOVERNMENTAL SUPPORT.
The plan further provides for the COM |
plete clothing of the soldiers, arming |
them with modern guns and equipment |
of every sort. and an annual encampment |
Of at least ten days. when officers and |
men shall receive fun pay and allowances |
of every kind. and shall be instructed by |
drills. field manOeuvres, and the IKE ID
all the duties of a soldier in time OF war;
the cooking arrangements, hospitals, &C.
all approximating the real thing as close
ly as possible. g..
structors and the troops from seFeiaI
States put in the same camp SO as 10
nroduce a spirit OF friendly rivalry, and
the regular soldiers shall camp with theh
when possible as object lessons.
Men who are unfit for service or whose
business arrangements or family ues
would not permit them to 90 10 war; VIII
not he encouraged 10 volunteer. Inc
several states will have control OF their
own men. and will order them out ior
state purposes as at present.
The hill embracing these ideas VIII not
Ia nrasented 10 Congress until the next
session. as il is now too late u se'
through. ,... -. ro,.
The convention was in session at Tam
no two davs. and several other matters
were discussed. The proposition 10 nave
the military feature in public ana gram
mar schools was approved or as soou
means Of teaching boys oDedlehce 10 du-
thority and promptness.
ON TO HABANA.
After the convention adjourned our two
Virginia delegates. accompanied by Col
onel II. Anthony Dyer, son OF the Cover
nor or Rhode Island and delegate from
mat state: Mr.. and Mrs English, bridal
cnrnle and Miss English, OF Atlanta,
sailed on the Yarmouth for Habana' and
rcoched that city Just as Garcia's funeral
nrocession was starting. They saw the
Tubans fan out Of line because General
grooke's staff, very properly, rode De
hind their chief in front OF the CUBAN
examinations whereas the CuDahs seem
ed TO think they had the rlght 10 PuI
,hoir columns between the General ana
bic etaT This very unmlitary proceed
Ine, ala not strike our representatives,
-. fovorablv. and they say they found ,
o+6tre, in the Cuban to remove thelr ;
frst had impression. HE Is lazy
cnee," said Colonel Stern last night
.iealous and mean, and IL VIII DO a iohB {
inc before he will amount 10 anything
81 oo,,ree there are exceptions; some
u 1o 49,, capable of much good, but
So c 10 scarce. and those few will pro-
III, NOT he willing to take the trouble
80 ,,,onerIv govern and control the others
IL {, yyill be many a day before Uncle
~ oon leave them TO take care OF
themselves.
CARNIVAL PROCEEDINGS
"several Of our regular regiments are '
.amnea in the parks throughout tho c
oun 10 give a few wholesome object les
ons and TO govern the city. 1t would not ,
70 safe I'm the streets without them, and o
1,ards can be seen on nearly every other $
cuare.' - a
Colonel Stern told the Dispatch man =,
hat their visit 10 Habana was very u
leasant and instructive. His party ar lC
ived i'm time TO witness the carnival pro- &
ceilings in the streets from Saturday II
ntil Tuesday preceding Lent. The gay :,
nd festive youth Of both sexes drive or u
ide up and down both sides of the a
RADIO. or park and the people In the VI
onses throw flowers, confetti, flour, &c, Il
( them When the -four lands at the :,
ight place the victim looks as II he had ;.
cen through snow-storm.
The opera houses and theatres were all II
, fun blast every night In the week and b,
lere were two large balls last Sunday o.
ight. The Virginians attended mass
vice that day at the Cathedral. from =
hich the ashes OF Columbus had Just q
cen taken. The silver and priests robes ju
g a