Evening journal., 1905-07-28
BISHOP COLEMAN ON
NATIONAL GUARD SITE
Thinks State Should Own
Ground Where Camp Can
be Held

The proposition OF permanent site to
be owned by ihe state ior tie annual
lencampment of the Delaware National
Guard seems TO meet with The approv-
lal of everyone who takes au interest
ln the guard. II Is now thought that
"a permanent site wlil oe secured With
.n tWo years
The Rt. Rev. leighton Coleman.
Bishop OF The Episcopal Diocese Of
Delaware has The following 90 say ON
the subject:
Being an earnest advocate OF peace
4 regret sincerely that there Is any nee
cossity for an army. bur MS it is the
judgment OF our civil rulers th4t Ne
must have ana army. then 81 is eminent
~ desirable ON eVely account that the
larmy should De made rs reliable and
effective ms possible. 10 has occurred
to me, in thinking over the subject,
quite independently of any consulta-
ltion with others, that one means to-
wards obtaining and retaining such an
larmy is to be found I'm the permanency
lQf a site for the annual maneuvers.
Whatever arguments apply to the adj
lVantages of the annual encampment
iare enforced by the considerations that
lunderie this idea of permanency.
THE annual encampmont entails, Of
necessity. q considerable outlay of
lmoney but from year TO year this
lamount would be materially reduced II
lt We're not necessary from year to
year to go To q different place. There
lare many things essential TO a we'll
ordered camp which. If once pur-
chased, might very we'll be used from
year to year. and thus form a part of
the regular equipment of such camp.
As long as this annual shifting OF
places obtains there must be "a grelt
deal of money expended in The same
direction, which could be saved TO-
what Us bought or expended in the way
LOT Improvements could be laid ont m
the same place. This refers not only
20 such matters as the erection Of
water tanks and sanitary arrangements
but also 10 the matter OF transporting
materials. which, under permanent
would be stored and
ready nc hand wherever the camp
should occur
Then again, if there was a perma-
nent site, with improvements that
would be at hand for constant use. the
men Of the regiment would naturally
take more pride and interest i'm caring
for things which were to be preserved
for future use. such am arrangement
would Justify the making of such inn
provements In the site itself as would
not be deemed advisable for only "a
short period, then to inure only to- the
advantages of the owner of the land.
I'm the same connection one cannot
but see the application of arguments
10 the rifle range, as well AS to the
more immediate camp ground. for here
.it is equally true that if there be amy
advantage I'm a rifle range, the better
that range is made the greater win be
the advantages derived. other States
have already recognized the soundness
.of the policy here advocated, and the
benefits from the adoption of this poll
Icy elsewhere are very manifest.
While of course the needs of Dela-
ware I'm this respect are very much
below the same needs Of other states.
yet in proportion 20 our needs the ex-
pense of course would be very much
smaller but the advantages would be
propOrtiOuately no less than those
which obtain elsewhere.
AS TO the location of "a permanent
site IL hardly becomes me TO express
any decided opinion. But knowing the
state ass We'll as do. ] cannot think
that either Kent county or Sussex
county can offer "a site which in all re-
spccts would be equal To what can be
found in New Castle county. But no
doubt IL legislative action is sought for
putting into effect such suggestions as
have already named coupled with the
selection of New Castle county there
would be encountered the old-tme pre-
iudice and opposition of the other two
counties
"Now I have am equal affection for
IAN three counties, and never allow any
dispararng remarks with respect to
either Kent county or Sussex county,
but 1 cannot help wondering often
times how il is that lon considering
propositions whose immediate opera
lions may be located as a matter of
convenience or eXpediency in New Cas-
tie county the residents of the other
two counties do not see that what BEN
ehts Wilmington or New Castle cOun-
N benefits the whole State of Dela-
ware.
Tine benefits of the annual encamp-
ment are not intended. nor can they
.be exclusively for the particular local
ity n which the site of the camp may
be- They are of such a nature as of
necessity inure 10 the benefit of the
whole commonwealth. Therefore. in
selecting a permanent site, the only
consideration should De 60 choose that
site which, ON the whole, promises
best 90 fulhll the purpose of such am
'nual gatherings of the Delaware
troops"