Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1912-09-17
Editorials of the
People.
FORMER CAPTAIN WILL ASSIST
TOOze Urges Unity i'm Company G and
Pledges Support to Commander.

Pledges Support to Commander.
To the Editor: The last chapter ir
the history of the recent militia dis
turbance has been written in so fal
as the local company is concerned
when yesterday all state and govern
ment property, money, etc, was
transferred to Lieutenant Stafrin
| Taking into consideration all the de-
tails of this matter it may be that
was wrong, if standing forth for the
protection of my men was wrong. OF
| this, / have nothing further to say. ]
| am perfectly satisfied to let the mat
ter drop now, in order that the Guard
as a whole will not suffer further by
reason of it, | have lent all my in
huence to secure the election of Lieu
tenant Stafrin as Captain. My men
| have taken certain steps to re-elect
me, and though / appreciate this
mark of respect, this spirit of conf
dence upon their part, still | want it
distinctly understood that | am not
nor under any circumstances viii |
be a candidate for reelection as Cap
tain, nor will | accept the appoint
ment if chosen. The only desire
have at present is to see the new
company built up to a strong and
powerful organization, and all my en-
deavors will be in that direction. |
want each and every man in the COM
pany to re-enlist and to lend Lieuten-
ant Stafrin the support and encOur-
agement he richly deserves Lieuten-
ant Stafrin has been connected with
the Guard for several years, and is
thoroughly qualified to take COM
mand. | want to see the citizens of
Dallas, the churches, and each and
every public organization in the city
take hold of this matter, and stand
behind Lieutenant Stafrin. He needs
this support, and is entitled to it. The
possibilities for the young men of
this city are great in this regard.
Social features can be added to the
regular drill routine that will be for
the good of each and every young
man enlisting. When in the armOry,
the young men will not be in other
places a thousand times more unde
A gymnasium, reading room,
etc, should be added at once. Make
the armory the most popular place
in the city for the young men of our
city. BY education along these lines, |
eliminate vice. TO gain these things, |
the people of our city interested in the
moral and physical advancement of
the youth of this city should take an
active part in encouraging the local
and in giving it their |
moral as well as financial support, |
This is the desire of Lieutenant Staf-
rim, and you people of Dallas owe |
this to him. His task is a big one, 7
much bigger than any outside the
even imagine. "All that gilt
ters is not gold"
1t is not likely that | shall remain .
nnirely out of the service, though at l
the present time l shall make no at
tempt to re-enter the same. When l
the proper time comes, l shall prob
ably again take up some department
IF the service, and this by wish of the
officers in charge, for | know that
hese officers realize that at most ! \
nave been made but a victim of cir
For the time being, all 1
ny spare time will be devoted to
making a larger and better Company
! than has ever existed before. No
me knows better than I, Just what
he new commanding officer will have ,
o contend with; the many additional
ahors that will be thrust upon his
the great responsibility
n many different ways that he as
umes
As a last word, addressed directly
O the men of my former command, !
want to thank each and every one of
hem for the support given me, and
or their respect and confidence and
heir friendship. l also want to
hank them for the loyal manner in
which they have stood by me, and are ,
landing by me. and for their APP
recitation SO often expressed con-
erning my stand by them, and also
or the spirit shown by them i'm a de-
to re-elect me as Cap
ain; hut i'm this connection, | want
hem to know that ! cannot possibly ,
onsider the proposition, and l want
ach and every one of them to go to
he meeting when a new Captain is I