Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-28
THEY WANT NEW Laws.
The National Guardsmen and the Com
ing Convention Here.

Inc NaCiOnal uuarOSmen ana the COms
ing Convention Here.
THE DISTRICT MrI.rr1AMES AND THEIR INTEREST
IN THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES EQUIPMENTS
PROVIDED By THE PRESENT LAws-A NEW
FRIEND OF THE NATIONAL GUARD
The announcement made in TIE STAR of
Thursday last that the National Guard sssocia-
ton would hold a convention in this city in
February has been responsible for renewed
vigor on the part Of officers already active in
District militia matters. Whatever affects the
national guard needs but little agitation here
before there are hearty responses. Naturally
those officers who come here to attend the ses-
sions OF the convention will look critically upon
the soldiers of the nations capital, for they
have all heard Of the work done BY Gen. Ord
way in organizing and equpping the splendid
force he now commands, and not unnaturally
officers OF the District militia want to have
their men in the best possible shape
to undergo the inspection which is un-
doubleday in store for them during
the early part of February Had the conven-
could be placed on the possibility of three or
four days of successfully fine weather, Gen.
Ordway would have had a brigade dress parade
for the amaZement and instruction of those yis-
decidedly changeable and a rule disagreea-
BILE, so the chances are that there will be no
parade.
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE CONVENTION.
Each state and territory has the privilege Of
being represented in the national guard con-
vention by not more than five delegates. all Of
whom must be militia officers Just at present
1t Is not known who will represent the District
OF Columbia-Gen. Ordway has not yet made
the designations-but the probabilities are that
the delegation will consist of Gen. Ordway,
Adjt. Gen. Long, ms. Gen. Gale, Col.
w. G. Moore Of the first regiment and Col. Clay
OF the second regiment. All these officers are
fully qualified to discuss any matters that may
come before the convention. They know what
the militia needs and they can tell their story.
NEW MILITIA LAW WANTED.
But few people realize the necessity which
exists for new militia law. Here in the Dis
trict new law is in force having been passed
by Congress during the fiftieth session, but all
over the rest of the United States the old law
of May 8, 1892, is still unrepealed. How many
men are there who are familiar with this an
tique piece of legislation? How many students
of law are aware of its absurdIties when looked
at in the light of today? The law as it stands.
declares that:
Every able bodied male citizen of the re-
spective states, resident therein, who is of the
age OF eighteen years aud under the age Of
fortytve years, shall be enrolled in the militia"
Do peaceful citizens of the states know what
is required of them by the old militia law, not
900 old, however, to be still In force if any au-
thorized person insisted on its enforcement?
ANrIoUArED EQUIPMENTS.
Section 1923 Of the Revised Statutes gravely
declares as follows: every citizen SHALL after
notice of his enrolment, be constantly
provided with good musket or frelock
of bore sufficient for balls Of the eigh-
teenth part of pound, sufficient
bayonet and belt, two spare fints, and
knapsack, pouch with a box therein to con-
tain not less than twenty-four cartridges, suited
to the bore of his musket or irelock, each car
fridge to contain proper quantity of powder
and ball, or with a rifle, knapsack, shot pouch
and powder horn, twenty balls suited to the
bore OF his rifle, and quarter of pound Of
powder; and shall appear SO armed, accoutered,
and provided when called out to exercise or
into service, except that when called out on
company days to exercise only he may appear
without a knapsack. And all arms, ammuni-
ton, and accouterments SO provided and re-
quired shall be held exempted from all suits,
dstresses. executions or sales for debt or for
the payment of taxes. Each commissioned
officer shall be armed with sword or hanger
and spontoon."
The artillery officers are to be armed with a
sword, or hanger, fusee, bayonet and belt,
with a cartridge box to contain twelve cart
ridges; and each private shall furnish himself
with all the equipments of a private in the in
fantry, until proper ordnance and field artil-
lery is provided"
The cavalry is divided off into ''troops of
horse and the law demands that 'the commits
stoned officers shall furnish themselves with
good horses of at least fourteen hands and a
half high, and shall be armed with a sword and
pair OF pistols, the holsters to be covered with
bearskin caps. Each dragoon shall furnish
himself with a serviceable horse at least four
hal btp
bride, mail-pillion and valise, holsters. and
breastplate and crupper, pair of boots and
spurs, pair of pistols, a saber and a cartridge
box to contain twelve cartridges for pistols"
1t Is not unreasonable to suppose that the
appearance OF body of men clad. armed and
equipped with that which the law requires
would be regarded reasonable ground for
legitimate criticism and could fairly be looked
upon as provocative to mirth- Spontoons
and hangers and fusees and fints belong to an
age long gone by, but the law is still the
statute book The law will probably be wiped
out during this Congress, but if it is not there
will be good deal of undaunted agitation.
FRIEND OF THE MILITIA.
"We have another good friend in the United
States Senate" remarked Adjutant General
Long of the District militia to a STAR reporter
the other day. "And when say we mean the
national guard. The addition to our forces at the
seat OF legislation is the Hon. Watson c. Squire,
one Of the Senators from the state of Washing
ton. Senator Squire knows what the national
guard is, and he also sees what it ought to be.
His experience with the militia of his own
state-then territory-when he was governor
and during the Chinese troubles at Seattle has
given him an active interest in the citizen
soldiery of the land. He was a good soldier
himself during the war, and the late General
Miller, who was afterwarda Senator from Cali
fornia, used to tell of many gallant services
rendered by Senator Squire, who was on his
cfa Snt,rsA hna Lot %
common sense and an extended knowledge of
men and affairs. He is our friend and will
give evidence of it when militia matters come
up in Congress-"
U. S. Cavalry at Oklahoma City.
L. Af ILL i