New-York tribune., 1900-07-12
STAFF DEFEATS THE LINE.
COLONEL BATES CoNTRTvEs TO WARD
OFF AN ELECTION IN THE SEW
ENTY-FIRST REGIMENT.

Line and star locked horns at the ouarter1v
meeting Of the list Regiment on Tuesday even
ing and the contest was prolonged far into the
night. At the meeting IN March a committee
was appointed 10 nominate candidates for the
vacant uajOrship ana Lieutenant -coloueIcv Tha
committee had tried several times TO repor+ brt
Colonel Bates prevented any report bv rar7s
ing 10 call a meeting OF the officers. The omar
terry meeting was inevitable, and Colonel Bates
heard thar the committee would present its re-
port This alarmed him. for from the first thu
friends OF Lieutenant-ColoneI Clinton II. Smith
of the volunteers, have been in control Of the
committee, so Colonel Bates sent around 10 all
the STAFF an urgent request to be present
When the meeting was called to ordek # was
found that the star was represented bv nine
members The reading OF the minutes Of the
March meeting precipitated q protest from
Captain A J Bleecker, OF Company C. He DE-
cla-ed that the minutes read as II all the officers
of The regiment had taken part in the appoint
rnent of the committee.
NOW. We al know said Captain Bleecker
'thst staH officers have no vote or voice in the
election Of field and line officers. and I wish the
minutes corrected TO show that distinction
The correction was made. and then an officer
called for the report Of the Nominating Commit
tee OF lleutenant-co3oneI ana major.
COMMITTEES REPORT OUT OF ORDER
i do not wish TO hear the report Of that com
r1!-ree~ said Colonel Bates
With all due respect 70 the Colonel" said a
member Of the committee. '.it is not a question
ot wishes, II Is & question OF parliamentary pro
cedure The report is due from the committee
and Il must be heard"
7 insist that the report Of the committee is
ou- Of order" said Colonel Bates firmly.
This sort q business viii not do in the list
Regiment" said another officer. The committee
was appointed for a specific purpose, which it
says IS accomplished. and now when II seeks to
report Il Is snOchered--
Appeal Appeal" came from several other
members and the officer OF the floor made a
formal appeal from the Gecislo Of the Chair
Colonel Bates put the motion, and the Chair
vas sustained by q majority Of two all the staff
officers voting TO sustain the decision
As soon as the vote was announced an officer
took the IooT and asked sarcastcaIly: Since re-
ports o. committees are not N order, viii the
Char kindly infO-rl= Us what IS n order?'
De-tsjve laughter and some confusion followed
this question. and Colonel Bates had 10 rap
loudly Tor order Then he said Resolutions are
II q moment al officer was on his feet with
this resolution:
"Res0lzed, That it is the sense Of the officers
q the list Regiment that Lieutenant-ColoneI
Smith, Of -he volunteers. and Major J. H Wells
De the candidates respectively, for these Offices in
istng"
The resolution is out Of order" said Colonel
against the ruling, IN which some sharp Ian
glage IS SAID 70 have passed Finally an appeal
vas taken from the decision Of the Colonel
PROTESTS FROM LINE OFFICERS.
Just before the vote was taken on the appeal
an otdcer arose and asked, ARE the staff officers
present going 70 be allowed 70 vote?"
I see 10 reason Why they should not" said
Colonel Bates
I CO." said the officer. hotly. Only a mo-
nent ago the minutes were changed 70 show
that the STAFF officers had nothing 70 do with
the appointment Of a committee TO nominate
officers This was done because every one
knows that staff officers have no right to vote
for line or field officers Now on this motion
which is practically the same as an election
nomination. the stan officers are 10 De permit
Ted 70 vote 1 wish 70 say that such action IS
arbitrary and unjust"
There IS no precedent for 4 in the Guard -
SAID another officer. Z challenge Colonel Bates
10 show z single instance where staff officers
have voted on e question that involved in any
way The question Of election IN this or any other
regiment For the staff 10 vote now would be
10 make display of had taste and subserviency
that IL not pleasant t0 contemplate"
II The STAFF are going 70 choose our officers
Tor u" said another officer 1t Is high time for
" 70 turn over all elections 70 them. Il is a
FIRE spectacle, isn't T.. for the list Regiment TO
STAR"
Colonel Bates pounded on the table for order.
and then put the appeal The vote stood II TO
- against the appeal. Without the staff votes
the vote against the Colonel would have been
almost TWO 10 one.
One q the purposes Of the meeting was to
elect g new treasurer In place Of Lieutenant
Colonel Smith IS Colonel Bates holds that MS
c-s-I-ssa from The Guard carries with i the loss
q MS Office IT the civil capacity Of treasurer.
Most q the line officers do not agree with the
Colonel Colonel Bates had selected Surgeon
Marsh for treasurer. but hot the fight
On The ether questions that The matter OF the
treasurer was not brought Up. Lieutenant
Colonel Smith read his report as treasurer for
the previous quarter, and then left the room.
The report was accepted As the Committee on
Nominations was not discharged, II is still
legally ir existence, and VIII present its report
Whenever Il gets rhe chance. Feeling IN the
regiment IS running high as a result Of the
meeting