Arizona republican., 1903-10-08
The Misfortunes of an Excellent
 Governor.

Governor Peabouy or CoiOrauo seeA .o Have been unfortunate in his mili- tary appointments. The national guard of that state has already surereo III ran,,tation on account of a lack of dis cretion on the part of the commanding officers at Cripple Creek, and now court martial Is to be held 10 try number of officers on charges or the utmost gravity It is an unfortunate situation for Colorado. because any discredit cast upon the national guard will operate to the advantage of the lawless element at Cripple Creek which the guard has been holding in cheeh.
 Two weeks ago. when Adjutant Gen eral Bell displayed such failure to comprehend his duties as to defy the officers of the local courts, and the district court itself. Governor Peabody should have taken matters firmly in hand. There could be but one outcome, as all properly balanced people knew The officers of the guard had, in the end, to submit to the processes Of the courts, and had to recognize the self evident fact that they were at Cripple Creek solely to uphold the civil auth critics in protecting life and property and suppressing disorder. The i'll con- sidered actions and loose and boastrul talk of Bell and other officers should have left no doubt in the governors mind as to his duty as commander-in- chief. and it should not have been ne- cessary to await the decision Of the district court on the question of su- premacy between the civil and military authorities.
 The whole chapter emphasizes the folly of supposing that a man is fit for any office or responsibility simply be- cause he happens to have a war record Personal bravery. about the most com mon attribute of mankind. is too often considered an ample offset against ob- vious deficiencies. Presumably, the gov ernor of Colorado appointed MT. Bell to the high office Of adjutant general because he had been a brave trooper in the Rough Riders. When Mir. Roose- welt was in Arizona he mentioned with surprise and amusement his discovery in Colorado that MT. Sherman Bell had become a general. Think of it!" said he, think of it! Sherman Bell a brigadier generali'
 According to our dispatches printed yesterday. Governor Peabody said:
 Charges and specifications against certain men and officers of the Colo rado national guard have been filed with me. which will be immediately in- quired into. The charges are of g most serious nature, and I shall order court martial to investigate then thoroughly. The charges filed with me will be probed to the very bottom, anG any one found guilty, no matter who he is, will not be permitted to escape punishment
 In this declaration the governor shows the f1rmness and determination which he had already manifested in hi: measures fer the suppression of an archy at Cripple Creek. There can b, no doubt that he is an honest and fear less executive, and it is to be regretted that in his great task of protecting tn peace and good name of Colorado h. must be hampered by incompetent O corrupt military subordinates. Tn charges to be Investigated. according to the dispatches. include: paddei rolls, employment of superfiuous gen erals and colonels who draw the salar of their rank while performing tn duty of sergeants; general extrava gance in the purchase of supplies fo the commissary department, and tn allegation that certain officers, in thei pursuit of graft, have been guilty C buying spoiled beef for the soldiers. is to be expected. of course, that g least some of these charges will prov groundless; but the charges are mad
 by some officers against other officer
 and the whole unfortunate mess is a object lesson in the unwisdom of plat
 ing the national guard of a state
 the hands of politicians and heroes.
 Irrigation In India.