The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-01-13
BIease Disbands N Militia
OF State

The organized militia of South Car
elina was disbanded by an order sign
ed at 2 o'clock Monday by GoYerno,
Blease.
! Governor l3lease explained this ac
ton in the order, stating that the aris
ing Of differences between the secre
tary Of war and the secretary of tn,
navy and Adjutant General Moore, OF
ore side, and himself on t he other
prompted him to'take this step. Thes'
differences, said the chief executive
resulted in serious breaches of disci
pline in the militia corps. fil
"The present governor of the Stat,
of South Carolina is of the oIinioI
that it would be unfair and unjust OF
his part to turn over to his successor
in office the militia of South Caroline
il its present condition" the ordel
read.
Governor Blease expl essed tht
opinion, in the order, that s'outl
Carolina had made a mistake in be
coming a part of the National Guart
under what is commonly known as thu
Dick law. E% ~ Y, z
About 5000 men are effected by thii
order, who are organized into three
militia regiments, four divisions o.
coast artillery and various hospita
and sanitary corps.
The militia was commanded by ,Ad
ljutant General W. W. Moore, Of Barr.
twell, whose official position is not al.
fected by the executive order. Gov:
ernor Blease, however was command.
er-in-chief, ex-oficio, of the militia.
the three, militia regiments wer;
commanded by officers with the ranl
of colonel. General Willie Jones, o
Columbia, was brigadier-general o.
the South Carolina corps. Headquar'
tiers of the first infantry regiment
were at 'Yorkville; OF the second reg.
iment at. Columbia, and Of the third
at Charleston.
Coast artillery corps divisions were
located at Charleston, sullivan's Is.
land, Beaufort and Georgetown. and
each had an approximate strength Of
60 men and officers.
The three infantry regiments had
enlisted strength Of about $50 men
each, commanded each by about SO
officers.
Friction which Governor Blease re.
ferred to In his order disbanding the
militia corps arose. about two years
ago, and, according to reports OF the
adjutant general, resulted In a mark
ed decrease in discipline OF the
troops.
The cause of this controversy be-
tween Governor Blease and Adjutant
General Moore was said to have been
the result. of the refusal Of the gov
crnor to sign certain orders and. Of
flcial papers presented him by the
adjutant' general.
The secretary Of war and the Sec
retary of the navy became parties to
this controversy, according to Off
cial statements, when the matter OF
accounting for about 100000 worth
of federal property these federal de-
partments claimed had been lost and
destroyed by the militia organiza-
tions was, held up. An accounting OF
this property was begun about a year
Z
ago and was a few weeks ago COM
pleted, and the completed reports
were said today to be prepared for
the signature Of Governor Blease. ;.
Tensity Of the situation between
the adjutant generals Office and the
offices of secretary of war and Sec
retary of navy, OH one side, and ot
Governor Blease, On the other, was
greatly increased last summer when
the governor refused to permit the
militia troops to participate In the an
nual encampment, ordered by the
chief of the division Of militia affairs,
at Governors Islard, New York. This
action of Governor Blease, according
to statements from the adjutsnt gen
erals office resulted in appropriations
by congress aggregating about $55,-
GOO, for maintenance and equipment
of the South Carolina militia being
held up. by the war department pend
| ing settlement of these differences.
While this controversy involving