Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1905-03-04

?: Huntington, Of las Vegas, appoint.
I desire 70 state some additional
facts relating 90 she maladminiatra-
tinu Of the MILITIA which I have not
before mentioned. For seven years
and moro we hive had In Santa ne a
hand called n cavalry hand Of about
twenty members. ny order Of the gov.
crnOr ! have iseacd 10 the hand two
fun suits OF uniform from head 90 foot
each year. which tnoy wore contlnu.
Oreiy with tho permission II the gov.
ernor. which regulruI' forty uniforms
each year. and laet year che band do
mnndtd 10 be ouifltfad tho third time.
had long been % the opinion that
tho organization wa unauthorized
citnor i5y the territorial law or under
the army regulations. Our statute au.
thcrizod battalion Esld squadron bands.
but We had hut one troop. referred
the matter 10 t1o solicitor general %
tho territory. who after much hedging
save me an Opinion thar the land had
no legal existence either under United
States or territorial law, but advised
me that inasmuch a. the band had
. BEEN carried 40 long thaf ! had better
continue 20 carry Il until the war de.
paftmont found h out then Id
dressed the governor n communica.
tlOn giving him the solicitor gonerai'a
opinion. and informed him that / must
decline % DO guided ~ surh advice
unless specially ordered by him % 90
20. There the matter has rested. The
band has cost the government clcn
! year more than any two militia com.
4
3 u aod IL u a man "a f0f active asavice
or that would 20 Into aciye service
undei any circumstances. Tho band
think has not performed any duty ~
military band since the visit 81 Pres.
idont Roosevelt IN May. 1903. AZ uhe
time OF the visit az the prosadcnf men.
TONED an escort was organized, com
posed OF ex-mcmbofs 81 his regiment
and number OF them having no uni.
forms. Governor Oioro ordered me 10
furnish uniforms 20 all such a. ap-
piled out ~ the MALTA stores, fur.
nishcd either three or four uniforms
that Is. blouse. trousers and hat !
was todd mat they would be returned
20 me immediately They were not 70.
turned 20 me until a year after, and
then IN a wOrn-0ut and uuscryiceabie
condition
& Last October while IN Albuquerque
81 read In a morning paper what APP
ncarod 20 be an order issued 10 me by
the governor. who was In Santa Re,
directing me "a Issue tents and blan.
ks.s 10 food sufferers AZ San Marcial.
u Immediately returned 20 Santa Fe
and Jaw tho governor. who gave me
the order direct. and said n ncccs'
sary | should lssue 20 the people ev.
cry tent and blanket ] had. ! informed
him that did nou have any; thai they
we're all In possession of the compa'
mics at the various stations. Hie then
ordered me to collect them In as soon
as possible and ship TO san Marcini
seeing that such wholesale robbery u
the militia would Giferly dcgnoralize
I the FCfTlce. I wired tho war depart
ment for authority. which was refused
/ Ny attempts to observe the law and
tue governors utter disregard OF lhw
aud authority have brought my DIS
imissal. ! am reluctant 20 make any
charge AGAINST an officer whose com
mission have carried for nearly sew
en- years, but the situation seems u
leave me- no alternative. There Is q
certain shortage whIch was l0und "a
show up When my hack should b.
turned the governor could, by saylnl
nothing, put the responsibility upon
me. u would only be- ntcossafy fOl
him 90 say that he knew nothini
about such masters. thai be had M
adiuiant general who no supposed wa
competent and honest, which wOuls
throw tho burden and odium upon me
cannot afford 10 let II rest Ia tina
shape. and respectfully AK for an In
vostigation. And such blame ae MAJ
attach 10 me for not Reporting th,
matter sooner I am willing 90 q, md
and no more. Very respectfully,
w. n. WHITMAN.