Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-02

ancient member Of the Ancient and Honorable
Artiiisry Of Boston, has ever been able to defin-
isy determine. The military conundrum,
wnasn spontoony" has furnished theme
ior learned and exciting discussion at the meet
ines OF the National Guard Association. No
one was able to answer the question until
zen Porter, adjutant general Of New York
state. declared that il was q short half-pike
or spear which the subordinate officers OF .
regiment were In the habit of carrying hum
ored years ago, and that before our late civil
war this old and peculiar weapon, which would
seem to be part Of the middle ages. used 10
De carried in public professions by officers Of
the Ancient and Honorable ARTILLERY Of Roston
This ancient militia law has remained un-
changed on the statute books since 1875; il may
be called statutory anachronsm and il should
be promptly repealed but il hangs on suryiy.
ing many better things.
THE NEW BILL.
Recently there has been a bill presented 70
Congress in the interest Of the National Guard
and which 10 Of great public importance. In its
present shape it is largely the work of secre-
tary OF War Proctor, who. since he has occupied
his present position, has taken q very warm in
terest in the Improvement Of the National
Guard OF the country. Gen. Kelton, the adiu-
tant general Of the army, during his long ser
vice in the army has had unusually close associ-
alton with the National Guard OF the different
states and has become also very anxious 10 i'm
prove the organizations. He, too, has had q
great deal to do with the framing Of the bill
At the last meeting of the National Guard As
ISOLATION at Washington this bill WAS exhaust
lively discussed and after having been revised
SO as to remove all objections was approved
and recommended 10 Congress for passage by
the unanimous vote Of all the delegates.
The bill in question was introduced in Con-
gress by Gen. Henderson of Illinois and hence
is known as the Henderson bill" 1t repeats
the obsolete legislation in regard to the mat
ter now contained in the Revised Statutes. IL
increases the annual appropriation from S400,
600 to 81, 000, 900 and provides that it may be
drawn in army supplies OF all kinds, and per-
mits the states to purchase from the United
States arsensls anything which the latter make
at the regulation prices. 1t authorizes the de-
tail OF regular officers to inspect the National
Guard OF each state to inform The government
of its condition. 1t also authorizes any gov
ernor, brigade or division commander with
the approval Of his governor) to apply to the
Secretary OF War to have a regular officer de-
tailed on the staff Of the applicant, such officer
to hold his position at the pleasure OF the
officer to whom he is detailed and Of the Secre-
tary Of War, and provides that regular officers
may be detailed to any camp OF the National
Guard at the request Of the governor Of the
state to act as instructors and to perform such
duty as the governor may direct
The bill also provides for the acceptance by
the President Of volunteers from the National
Guard not to exceed 5000 men in any one year.
to participate in the annual maneuvers of the
army and also for other military duty.
The National Guard Association also in
dorsed the McCutcheon bill at its last meeting,
which is pending in Congress. and provides
that vacancies in the army which cannot be
filed by the graduates OF West Point shall be
filled from the commissioned officers Of the
National Guard, and the other McCutcheon
bill providing for sea coast heavy artillery
reserve.
The Henderson bill has the support Of nine
a n q known
the only thing which may stand IN the way OF
Its enactment is the apprehension that Congress
has already made such large appropriations for
pensions and other matters and has cut down
the revenue SO, that it cannot afford to do any
thing for the National Guard.
MILITIA AMONG THE REGULARS.
One Of the provisions contained in the bill is
an innovation, being the idea OF Gen. Kelton,
the effect of which is anticipated with great in
terest; that is to say that the volunteer officers
and men Of the National Guard of the different
states may be received by the Secretary Of War
and be allowed to serve in the practice
maneuvers which the regular army now annu-
ally performs. 1t is impossible, il ii would be
desirable, to order any number Of the National
Guard for such duties, but there are many of
them who are full Of military enthusiasm and
who are sufficiently anxious to perfect them
selves in practical military instruction TO be
willing TO volunteer. that the aggregate in q
state would be sufficient to make up a number
of small organizations II these were to be ac-
cepted they would give an additional strength
to the regulars which they now need in per-
forming their maneuvers, while, at the same
time, it is believed by Gen. Kelton and others
that the maneuvers would give national guards
men serving q practical idea of service which
they are unable to get under ordinary con-
ditions.
What the National Guard needs is practical
instruction. 1t is needless to expect from men
- l., IL -
tary matters the discipline which is obtained
In the army. This is the result Of long service
of men who always standing side by side,
learn not only obedience but to rely upon each
other. This discipline can only be supplied to
the National Guard by utilizing their superior
enthusiasm and intelligence in giving them a
skill in the use of their weapons theoretically
as we'll as practically. Theoretical instruction,
however, is OF very little value unless it is put
| in practice.
The great question, therefore, is to what ex-
tent is ii possible to carry out practical instruc
ton in field work in the National Guard? Every
innovation which has been made In military
instruction within the last ten years has been
in the direction OF doing away with the ma
neuvering in solid ranks and substituting loose
formations. or, in other words, individual fight
ing VS.. skirmishers, q method, it should be
noted, first introduced by our fathers in the
revolution, and which, taken TO France by the
French officers who were sent here, was used
| with great success by Napoleon. The effect Of
this will be to dispense very greatly with the
kind of drill which is practicable in armories
and drill rooms and to substitute a method of
instruction which can only be carried out in
the open air and on large territory. Conse-
quently all leading officers are endeavoring to
train their men, far as they can, in this
method. Greater attention is also being paid
| to guard duty and to scouting, outposts, sig
Mailing and matters of that kind. This has
been carried SO far that In many states today
there can be but little doubt that the National
Guard will compare very favorably with the
average volunteer regiments that had only been
| a year in the field
TO LEARN TO SHOOT.
One Of the important requirements in the
National Guard Of today and the importance of
which is now recognized in every state is that
q soldier is not soldier unless he knows how
| to shoot, any more than a bookkeeper would
be q competent accountant If he could not
write. Much attention has been paid to this
part of the training and great success has been
attained, particularly in New York, Connecti-
cut Massachusetts and Pennsylvania The
change wrought in the New York organization
has been remarkable. As long ago as 1872 il
was the exception il man did not serve his
full term of enlistment without firing a shot
and there were not ten per cent Of the men,
bers Of any organization that could qualify "a
| ma-ksmen. Now in such organizations as the
seventh and twenty-third regiments it is the
exception if a man docs not qualify and, in
many companies, every man wears q marks
mans badge. This is a practical So
luton OF the question how to put down
riot. No mob that was ever organized could
stand three minutes in front Of a company OF a
-. Of ,hn AaV a