The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-03-05
OUR NATIONAL GUARD.

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courage others in this field of labor"
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| OUR NATIONAL GUARD.
1t is perfectly practicable. under a
proper system, to form in time of peace
| National Guard regiments of infantry
capable of becoming thoroughly efficient
after a short term of field service. and
competent To render efiectual co-opcra-
ton with the regulars in war.
There is no reason why the organized
militia should not readily be placed in
condition to quell all riots and local dis
turbances, even where they have reached
the stage of incipient organized rebel
| lion, and they should be fully able Ia do
this work without any aid whatever
from the regular army, which need then
be called upon only to protect the pro-
perty of the general government.
Ii is Il fact that in this country the
mere presence of Il handful OF regulars
has always suiliccd to prevent or qucll
riots without the necessity of firing upon
| the mob. This has arisen from the fact
| that il is well known that the regulars
are mder-thorough discipline, and will
unhesitatingly obey amy order To fire,
and that when they lire il will be upon
the mob. and not over their heads.
The National Guards will accomplish
| precisely the same results wherever ii is
known that their discipline and esprit
! dc corps are such IL 10 insure their
| prompt and effective obedience of any
| orders received. and To outweigh any
personal sympathy of any of their men,
| bcrs with individuals in the mob. This
| is doubtless the case now with many of
! the regiments throughout the country,
| and there is no reason why il should not
DE the case with all. and that all should
preserve. at the moment of action. that
steady bearing. profound silence, and
complete indifference To- danger which
are so impressive and conclusive when
dealing with IN angry and excited mob.
In brief. would propose that the mass
| OF the active militia, or National Guard.
! should be organized and instructed rs
infantry: that they should he furnished
with an adequate supply of machine and
field guns. drawn by hand. for use in
cities, TO he manned by attachments
specially detailed; that in the districts
near sea-cOast defenseS Il sufficient num-
Der of regiments should be designated
and instructed rs heavy artillerisis: and
that at suitable points i'm the remote in
terror a moderate number of companies
of mounted men should be organized to
cooperate with the regulars against the
| Indians in the event of Il sudden cmcr-
gency.
As the existence of Il trustworthy force
of the National Guard is important 10
the country at large, as well as TO the
individual states, il is only just that the
general government should assume lis
fair share of the expense.
This can best be done in the form of
arms. ammunition. clothing. camp and
| garrison equipagc. ctc.--in order 10 in
sure uniformity of equipment and arma-
ment and also probably in the issue at
| rations. and even of pay under certain
circumstances And this assistance
should he apportioncd amongthc states,
not in the ratio of population. but ac-
cording Ia the numbers of effective
militia actually on foot in each state,
| moreover. the actual number thus TO be
aided should be apportioncd according
10 the necessities of the ease.
For example. the organization of
heavy artillery should be confined 10 the
states on and adjacent 10 the ~ea-hoard
and lake frontier. within wi. 80 limits
permanent Notifications exist. or where
Temporary batteries armed with heavy
| guns must certainly he erected i'm the
event of foreign war: moreover. the
| strength of these organizations should
| he greatest i'm the states nearest our most
| extensive and important Sra-coaSt de-
| lenses. for instance. the harbor of New
York.
On the same principle the infantry
| organizations should he relatively the
strongest in the states most liable to
foreign attack. or where large manu-
featuring or mining establishments most
abound. as these. not the agricultural
regions. are the probable centres of
domestic disturbance.
While il j very desirable To organize
a certain portion of the National
Guard in the agricultural districts; il has
never been found easy to do so. on ac-
count of the difficulty of bringing the
men together. and the lack If proper
facilities. hut il is probably practicable
| to lessen these difficulties by granting
| additional pecuniary aid. ri least in the
smaller towns where the troublesome
are not present. or at least in II very
small proportion.
But the essential condition ut the
foundation of the whole matter i the
establishment of good discipline and
esprit de corps: for with the existence of
these elements the National Guard can
be relied upon to ito it, duty in the
maintenance of law and order. without
nd IN, nj ,,,I hat
this can be brought about | do not
| doubt.
In preparing legislation. whether by
the general government or states. To
carry out these purposes, it should never
be forgotten that those who enter the
National Guard necessarily give TO the
public a great deal of their time. and
| that with those who form the vast ma or-
| ity of the National Guard time is mat
ter of the greatest value. and that. hav-
| ing made this most important contribu-
ton to the public service. they should be
relieved from any direct pccmiary de-
| mands. The arms. equipments. uni
forms. armOrics. etc, should be furnish
ed free of cost, and when they are called
out during wOrking-hours, whether for
duty or instruction. other than mere
parades for their own qualification. they
| should receive fair compensation. and
all necessary expenses for their subsist-
| ence and transportation should he paid
| An efficient National Guard is not II
! luxury. but Il necessity. and the public
| can well afford 10 meet the cost. provid-
ed it is kept within just limits. and ex-
pended wisely and honestly. george B.
Nc Cieiian, IN Haper's Mgaginc for
January.
Artificial leather is, according To a
recent French invention, made by
cotton fabric. the warp threads OF which
are very lightly twisted, and the wet
| threads of which are finer than usual.
| This fabric is Scrrated on both sides,
| and immersed in preparation consist
| inc of a dccoction of linseed, rabbit
skin glue, linsced oil, and coloring mat
| ter. When the fabric is imprcgnated
| with this preparation it is stretched up
on polished zine plate, and laid upon
a steam-hcatrd hot plate. the drying be-
| ing continued until the aqueous potion
is entirely cyapora:c,l. II is claimed
| that this artificial leather is an exec llent
imitation OF the real thing.
i . 60
| A writer tells of a debiitatcd patient
who did not do nj all well on beef tea.
but was easily restored 10 health on
diet of bean soup. The only remark
able thing about this is that the patient
ever expected TO derive strength and
nOurishmrni from beef tea alone. Con-
sidering that we have upward of hum
drcd thousand doctors and that Il very
large proportion of them are fully
agreed that b:'.f lea is almost valueless.
/ eXcep: as q sIiniuinni. il is surprising