The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-05-30
CITIZEN sOLuiERY

1t is all very well to encourage the organ
cation of companies OF citizen soldiery
throughout the country who may be ready
tia when an emergency shall arise, snd su,h
affairs as the state and interstate drills are
to be looked upon with favor as means in
the accomplishment of this end, the build
ing up Of an efficient well drilled force of
the character stated and for the purpose
mentioned The prevalence of strikes and
the disposition to resort to lynch law exist
ing in many sections, render the occasions
numerous when such forces of citizen SOL
diery can he put to great use, but expert
ence with them as now organized and dis
ciplined, would SCI m to indicate that it
were better for the community If they
were permitted to remain at
home. The affair in Illinois
Monday adds new interest to
this subject. There two or three compa-
MES were ordered to the scene OF the strike
to prevent bloodshed and unnecessary dis
turbance, but no sooner had they reached
the spot than they celebrated their ar.
rival by firing upon the citizens, killing
one, wounding others, and creating more
confusion and disturbance than had existed
before their advent. In the case of ELLIS
and CRAFT occurring some months since in
Kentucky, it will be remembered that the
citizen soldiery detailed to guard the pris.
oners, upon the slightest provocation
opened fire upon the citizens along the
bank of the river and killed six or seven OF
them, all of them innocent and peaceable
citizens. In nearly every other instance in
which these socalled soldiers have been
called out, they have been guilty OF like
hasty, inexcusable and murderous con.
duct, and in each instance have
provoked the Just indignation OF
the popuace. Such soldiers do more harm
than good, and If that degree OF GOODNESS in
their officers and discipline in the men can.
not be reached that will enable them t.
keep down riot and bloodshed rather than
causelessly adding thereto, the executives
of the various states should be condemned
for calling upon them in cases ofemergency
There are other things in the education of q
soldier to be learned beside the manual OF
arms and perfection in the various eve
lutions OF the drill. The prime element
the chief advantage in the soldery over the
mob, is supposed to consist in their cool.
ness, the impossibility of leading them of
by excitement or taunt or even attack into
hasty and ill-advised action. If they
are as inilammable as the populace, II
the hurting Of stone or the firing OF q
gun will provoke an indiscrlminate
and murderous fire all along
the line, they are no better than
those whose excuses are to be checked and
TO call them into service is simply to star,
J two mObs to work where before there was
only one. The statutes of the various states
regulating the call should particularize IN
regulating the conduct of the militia, lust
when and how they might be permitted to
resort to violent measures, when to use the
bayonet, when to fire, etc, and only men
should be allowed to take charge of them
who have sufficient judgment aud GOODNESS
and who have had sufficient experience to
perform faithfully the spirit at least of the
statutes and handle their forces so as to ac-
complsh the end In view without adding
to the troubles of the situation. In other
words, If these citizen soldiery are to be
used greater discipline must betaught them
or great portion of their present discre-
llonary power ought to be taken from them
by statutory enactment.