Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-10-24
Modified MILITIA.
Report Of Con. Benet, Chief Ordnance
Omcer. U. s. A.--Argument for a Reor-
ganization and Mobilization Of the State

Report of Con. Benet, Chief Ordnance
Omcer, U. s. A.--ArHument for q Reor-
ganization and Mobilization Of the State
Militia. y
WASHINGTON, Oct 23.-Gen. s. V. Benet,
chief of ordnance Of tho United States army,
has completed his annual report. Total
amount of expenditures during the year,
81, AS, 998. Gen. Benet devotes . large por-
ton of his report to tho subject Of militia. He
says for many yenrs there has been . growing
feeling throughout tho country in favor of a
reorganization of our militia system. To per-
fect our present organization, or to improve it
by alteration, requires the action of Congress.
That Congress has tho full power to provide
for organising militia in time
of peace. under tho provisions
of the constitution, there can be no doubt,
and Congress has exercised this power in obso-
lete and msagre laws now on our statute books.
vided for enforcing obedience to these laws.
Everything il left to the discretion of individ-
ual States. A few eff the States have small but
we'll regulated bodies of troops, while others
have none, or, if any, undisciplined, ununi-
formed and indifferently equipped.
1t seems to me the time has come when the
subject of raising, arming, equipping, dis
part of our militia. should receive the thought
tul attention of Congress. That portion of
the militia should in q sense be mobilized re-
qqnes no argument, and this active portion
should be distributed equally throughout the
country according to population.
ment that Congress will help only those who
help themselves, and providing that arms and
equipments will not be issued to State except
in proportion to its properly enrolled and or
ganissd active militia, and that per diem for
camp services shall be paid to those individuals
only who are present In camp, and only
l present the . aa ' astu., they smpoysS
The States and people may be brought to =
realizing sense of the necessity for prompt and
permanent action in the matter so vital to the
military power of the nation. s
The general government under the law of
1893, now supplies arms and equipments to the
militia of States, and there 10 no reason why
their issue should not be made dependant upon
acts to be performed by the States, such as or
ganization and discipline of certain portion
of its militia.
have therefore to recommend that provision
be made by law for organizing, arming and
disciplininga militia force of 200 900 men, dis
tributed among the States, in tho proportion
and territory and district of Columbia. To
make this practicable will require large annual
appropriations, that must be permanent at
least for q few years to give a trial to the
scheme. In the first place there should be an
annual appropriation of e1,000,O00 for arms
and equipments, which would give about
$1,000 dollars for troops in eaoh congressional
district. In the second place, there should be
IN annual appropriation of 100000 for ex-
penses of annual encampments. the payment
of each militiaman a per diem for each days
service while actually in camp, etc.