Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-11-20
MAINTAIN THE CITIZEN soID1ERY.

The State Legislature about 10 assemble
is 10 be called upon to manifest greater
Eberality for the State toward that arm OF
the Government known as the National
Guard of California 1t must be done, or
deeadence of the organized militia will
follow the refusal. 1t is to be expected
that there will be the usual class of OBJ
iectors, who believe the companies are SUI
ficiently assisted already, and the usual
contemptuous and witty" men, who will
find strength in sneer and logic in rude
tests about holiday soldiers" But these
people should be confronted soberly and
scuarely with the facts. No thoughtful
citizen doubts for a single moment that the
organized citizen soldiery OF the country is
one of the most powerful peace-preserving
and property protecting agencies IN our
system. Out Of 100000 of people, we
have in California about $500 men who,
without fee or reward. enroll themselves
for the express purpose Of conserving the
peace of our communities. They can
have nothing to gain by this action. 1t IS
unselfsh philanthropy. Talk as we may
about the pride in shoulder-straps and
uniforms, and the strut Of brief authority,
il remains that out for these citizens
who give of their time and strength,
we would be without a strong and constant
guard to life, property and peace against
lawlessness and the officers of the law
would find their task of enforcing the
mandates of the people very much more
difficult. The organized citizen soldiery
was worth all other lawful barriers at
Pittsburg short time ago; it kept the
peace in Cincinnati not long since, and
saved that city from torch and rapine 1t
has thrice or oftener preserved San Fran
cisco from riot, outrage and confagration.
Only recently in Illinois the admirable
conduct of the National Guard in the
packing district" was the subject of
warm commentator all over the land, and
the source of lofty pride on the part of the
people of Chicago At East st. Louis last
spring they came to the rescue Of the Off
GERS of the law, who were powerless IN the
hands of the mob, and for weeks held law
iessness by the throat and finally choked
1t into submission. In Milwaukee, little
later, they quelled formidable riot and
brought offenders to justice. The fact of
their organization, the knowledge of their
promptness to answer call, checked the
mob spirit in San Francisco last week. In
many city at the East the mere signal
for them to come TO arms has been the
death blow to threatened violence. Every
where in the Union the fact that they are
ready, bearing the arms of the State, to
stand for order and the law, and lay down
their lives if necessary, is sufficient TO
COW Anarchists and rioters, and to drive
plotting Socialists to dark retreats. With
in two years the National Guard has been
called to the rescue on some forty oeca-
sions of danger in many sections Of the
Union, and in every instance has preserved
the peace and upheld the majesty Of the
law. The lawless element that will stone
the police and beat hired body Of private
guards, respects and fear the National
Guard, and only in the hight of frenzy
will raise hand against it. Seven hun
dred guardsmen called suddenly from
their homes and places of business in Chi
cago, wearing the blue uniform of the ma
ton, faced mob 10000 strong in Chicago
few days ago, drove it back and dispersed
it without firing a shot. Indeed, the dis
patches read The rioters respected the
troops and refused to resist them" Why?
Because they knew that behind those de-
termined young men who obey orders i'm
plicitly, was the authority OF the great
State of Illinois they represented, and be-
hind it still, the greater authority and
mower of the United States of America,
whose blue they wore. 1t was the National
tsuardsmen who were first to resist the Re-
Isellion in the civil war; among the first
10 cross the border in the war that stripped
Mexico of that fair possession California
They are the FIRST to respond to
all calls to arms, and the whole
reaVd of the great organization
dis, 'oses no period in which in time Of real
dancer thew have failed a State Of the