The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-09-21
HOT CONTEST
IN REGIMENT
FOR LT.-COL.
Informal Election Monday.
Champlin Favored by Older
Officers, but Opposed.

ment, N. G. N. J., are manifest'ng deep
interest in the probable result of an in
formal election to choose a successor
to Lieutenant Colonel George Handley,
who resigned his commission September
3 last. Governor Stokes, commander
in-chief of the New Jersey National
Guard, has accepted the resignation,
and Brigadier-General Edward A.
Campbell, commanding the First Bri-
gade, to which the local regiment is
attached, has issued orders that the in
formal election to fill the vacancy shall
be held on Monday night. as told in
the EVENING STAR, n Colonel
Henry ". Freeman, of the First Regi-
ment, has made preparation fer 1t.
All officers of the regiment have been
notified by special order, and are ex-
pected to be at the board Of officers
room in the armory at Sussex avenue
and Jay street, at s p. m. Colonel Free
man will conduct the election. but at
the formal election to be held at a later
date General Campbell will be the pre-
siding officer.
The contest for the vacant rost has
reate no little excitement among the
OlllCeTS anu lIlcH VI llC lCSliiNiibt oHN
for the last three weeks q strenuous
campaign has been waged. 1t Is the
first vacancy to nave occurred for a
field office since November, 1902, when
Major John D. Frazer, then captain OF
Company F, was raised to the ran
of major.
When 1t was made known that Lieu
tenant-Colonel Handley had handed in
his resignation the three majors of the
regiment-Charles B.. Champlin, Arthur
Rowland and John D. Frazer-an-
nounced their candidacy, and at once
set to work, with the aid Of their
friends, planning the campaign which
will come to an end on Monday night.
Major Champlin is. the senior and COM
mands the Second Battalion; Major
Rowland commands the Third Bat
TALON, n Major Frazer commands
the First Battalion. He is the Junior
major.
1t is the opinion of some of the higher
officers that Major Champlin Will be the
next lieutenant-colonel, nut younger
officers are for Major Frazer. The
Champlin men base their opinion on
the fact hat he, ranking in seniority
and also being a veteran of tile Civil
and Spanish-American wars, is entitled
to the office. He IS favored for the
place by Colonel Freeman and other
field and staff officers.
To an EVENING STAR reporter to-
day an officer of the regiment said:
IT think that Major Champlin will be
elected, and after a short time will re-
tire, leaving another vacancy for the
office in January. My reason for think
ing so is because by that time Governor
Stokes will have signed the Measure
enacted by the last Legislature, com
plying with the requirements Of the
Dick bill, and the Dick bill provides for
the retirement of an officer when he
reaches his s~ixty-fourth year.
Major Champlin has passed that
mark, and consequently would be af-
fected by the law, and If go would be
retired with the next highest rank, that
of colonel. / have every reason for be-
lieving that such will be the case, for
the failure of the Governor to sign the
bill will mean a loss to the National
Guard of this State of the annual ap-
preparation of s47. 600 from the national
government
The officers who are behind Major
Rowland's candidacy, and also those
who are conducting the campaign for
Major Frazer, feel that their candidate
will win, claiming that a young man
is more preferable Cor the position.
Those on the inside say that none of
the candidates can count with any
degree of safety on getting all of the
votes from their respective ~battalions,
and that the balance of power will lay
with the field and staff officers. There
are thirty-six line officers, twelve 20
each battalion, and twenty field and
staff officers eligible to vote. The adj
herents of the younger men have been
saying hat the New Jersey bill does
not provide positively for the retire
ment of an officer at the national age
limit, and they fear that If Major
Champlin were elected he might not
resign as soon as is anticipated by his
friends. Frazer's friends among the
officers claim he will get a majority OF
the votes.
AS to the records of the candidates
Major Champlin is the veteran of the
trio in point of service. He was a pri-
vate in Company B, Sixth Regiment
Infantry, New Jersey Volunteers, ir
the War of the Rebellion, enlisting or
August 7, 1851, and being discharged
three years later.
In 1866 he Joined Company d, Sec
ond Regiment Rifle Corps, n con-
tinued in that organization until 1870
when he enlisted in Company c, Sec
ond Regiment, National Guard, am
was made sergeant-major. In 1875 h'
Joined Company c. First Regiment
served for one year as first sergeant
when he was elected first lieutenant
of Company e and to be its captain II
1880. He was made a major in 1885,
and served in that rank during thu
war with Spain in the volunteer regi
ment.
Major Rowland began his career as {
private in Company II, Third Regi
ment, in 1888, where he served for
year before being transferred to Com
pany E. of the Fifth Regiment, serv
ing as corporal and sergeant. In 1879
he became affiliated with the FRS
Regiment, joining Company l, wa
elected a sergeant, then it's first lieu
tenant and finally its captain. HI
was elected a major on February ]
1892. He is a veteran of the Spanish
War. having served as captain of Com
pany / of the volunteer regiment. H
is one of the best rifle shots in tn
State militia, and has been a membe
of many regimental and State teams
-a " - - No.