The New York herald., 1878-12-31
NATIONAL GUARD REFORM.

PREPARATIONS FOR THE INTrnsr.rr coyvrr
TIoN-REPLY 70 THE OPPONENTS ~ mn,
NEW SCHEME OF ORGANIZATION.
The officers who are interested in the nov soho,,a
iof the reorganization and Improvement of The Na.
uonal Guard throughout the entire linton a. y
1ively pushing forward the preparations far .ha
INTERSTATE Convention to be held in this c;tv -,
January Y. They have held communication with
o eaalns ofcers OF many States and have received
resS "nicn encourage them to expect very ccner,
snraEnta'oh at the Convention. Positive as
atteneapaVe oeen given that delegates viii be IN
Island Nc'oia massachusetts,, Connecticut Rhode |
and Calitornfssey Pennsylvania Tennessee low,
and Alabama shdyices from Ohio. Indiana ,,,ino,s
atives will also be Meat likelihood that ronrasent
States. The seectioted from the militia Of these
represent New York has committee Of officers ~
Governor, who has not yet'eft in the hands OF the
State conventions have bee. h;s 49,. 80
elected by their brother offsceiI Is .n1ice, otner
the secretary Of the Executive Cor, of, @ uWe.esates
charge OF the movement. has recttsa Wsinsate,
communications enclosing reports " wnicn Is IN
| ings of such conventions. That in CoifunlDer or
| place December l6, when the following dd'Iocee-
| the Interstate Convention was d:-H TOOK
General stephen H. Smith. commanding ConIh 70
National Guard; Colonies L. A. Barbour (Firsfer
ment), N. Il. Tubbs (Third regiment), Charles L. G
ham Second regiment) and George b. Crofut Fourth
regiment). New Jerseys delegation chosen
the 18th and of the general officers Of the
State with Adjutant General Strykcr as chairman A
large and enthusiastic meeting OF officers held in
PENNSYLVANIA on the 18th inst The following were
appointed delegates to represent the National
Guard of observation-disclosures General Latte,
Colonels Reed. Hassinger and Gilpin; Majors Hep
burn and Ryan General Rceder, Colonel Rupert and
Lieutenant Colonel Horn, General Siegfrieu Colonel
Boes and Major Awl, General Beaver. Colonels Gray
and Guthrie, Captains Brown. Barr and Rupert. In
Rhode Island Adjutant General Q. II. Barney and a
number OF other officers selected the 18th
inst. Caitornias Convention takes place this week.
1t is probable tha.on account Of the distance Cali
fornians resident tho East will be chosen repre-
sent the state. Convention is also called in Iowa.
PREPARATIONS FOR THE CONVENTION.
committee of arrangements Ia in charge of all
the details of the Convention. They have yet de-
cided place in which to hold the sessions but it
is probable that room in of the larger armores
will be placed at their disposal Many officers Of the
regular army will unite with them in giving the
visitors hospitable reception. Drills and dress
parades by the crack organizations of the vicinity
will form feature of the OCCASION and the fortica-
tions in the harbor and the torpedo station at
Wletts Point will be visited. Great interest in the
proceedings is felt in National Guard circles. and it
is hoped the Convention will mark important era
| in the military history of the country.
ANSWERING oPpoNENTs OF NEW MOVEMENT.
Meanwhile til. plans proposed by the inaugurators
OF the Convention not without their opponents.
Some persons have expressed belief that dcsgn
OF the movement is TO place the militia under the
control of the federal authorities. Others say it is
improper to ask the central government to assist in
the support of State troops. prominent officer
OF the National Guard OF this State who has
active part in the new enterprise replied to many of
these opinions yesterday in conversation with q
HERALD reporter. He said:-'It is not intended in
any way by those engaged in this scheme to renq
| to the general government any control over the
militia which, we believe, properly belongs to the
| States. This is simply movement for the reform
of the militia and to utilize the professional talent
be found among the retired officers of the regular
army III giving the militia that practical instruction
in detail which is difficult for them to obtain
otherwise. On the other hand. have desire to
interfere with the army. which has its own proper
| sphere. But the National Guard should be an
auxiliary to it, and to be effectively it needs to be
put in serviceablc condition than IL can boast
/ OF now. The army has better friends than the
militia who know better than any else the need
| OF regular force and how much they themselves
| lack of being able to supply its place.
THE AGENCY OF ARMY OFFICERS
''The part of the plan," continued the reporter q
informant, (which looks toward detailing retired
regular officers for staff duty in the militia Is highly
! clerical duties connected with these positions are
| heavy, and make 1t difficult to got who will
the time to discharge them. Even commanders
who have first class adjutants ut present pleased
with the now proposition, for II they should lose
their present assistants they would not know how to
select regular army assistant unless he chooses to
do As to asking for 81, ,0OU, 900 annually from the
government, 1t Is relatively to the population and
wealth less than the appropriation which made
in 1795 of $100.O00 aud which las been paid rcgu-
larly since. 1t is said that the States should euip
their militia, but they liable to be called out
| to aid the general government at any moment To
do this with any effect they must have more expen-
sive equipment, and more scientific training than
would be necessary for the suppression OF domestic
tumults, aud it is only just that the government
should provide for the extra expense OF such equip
ment and training. The railroad strikes have shown
the need OF effective militia organization. indeed
the civil war did many years ago. The present move
ment aims ut obtaining such efficiency without any
change in the nature or control or the National