Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-03
OUR NATIONAL GUARD
Its Conditions, Needs and Prospects
Stated by President Wingate
of the Association.
FUSS kNDFEATHER METHODS OVER
Discipline and Efficiency So Increased in
the Past Fifteen Years That 1t
Rivals the Army.
PROPOSED LEGISLATION By CONGRESS.
Curious Old Law That Makes Every Abe-Bodied
Man Member Of the Guard
FUSS ANDFEATHER METHODS OVER
PROPOSED LEGISLATION BIZ CONGRESS-
A Curious Old Law That Makes Every Lble-Bodied
Man a Member Of the Guard.
WRITTEN ron THE D1srArcH.l

WRITTEN FOH THE D1SeATCH.l
According to the last annual reports made
BY the Adjutant Generals of the different
States to the Secretary of War, there were
LOG. 600 officers and men in the National
Guard of the various States. That number,
however, represents the aggregate strength
on the rolls, so that probably 75, 600 would
be the effective strength.
As a rule, during the last Is years, the
interest taken in the different States in their
National Guard has greatly increased, and
appropriations have been more liberal.
During this period and largely resulting
from the aid given by the States there
has been a remarkable improvement In
the efficiency of the National Guard, which
was strikingly demonstrated in the great
Centennial parade in New York. The
movement which brought this about COM
menced in New York, Massachusetts and
Connecticut and has since permeated most
of the other States. The innovations have
been in the direction of the practical mil
itary instructions and discipline as opposed
TO what may be termed the old "iuss-and-
feather" style which brought the name OF
militia into such disrepute that it is obno1-
In bringing this change about, the regular
army is, as a rule, taken as a model, and the
effort has been made to bring the instruction
of the troops as near as possible to the regu-
lar army methods.
THE CHANGE IN DISCIPLINE.
The improvement that has been made in
discipline is wonderful. Althoughthi lies at
the foundation of all military organizations,
=, l,- HIn CT
tween an army and an armed mob, yet, be-
fore the late Civil War, it was almost un-
known in the militia. In fact the organiza-
tions were run very much on the idea of a
town meeting where one man is considered
as good as another. The experience OF the
war demonstrated that this method of con-
Quoting the National Guard was all wrong
and a reformation began to be instituted by
q number of old volunteer officers who re-
sumed their former places in the National
Guard after the war was over. The Ma
tional Guard Association was the outgrowth
of the feeling that the militia organizations
OF the country required to be still further
improved, to fit them for national defense.
The settled theory of the United States
Government in reference to this matter has
been that while the States raised and gov
erned their militia as they saw ft, 1t was
the duty of the general Government to pro-
vide the National Guard of the States with
arms, equipments and military stores out of
the Treasury. State troops are regarded as
an adjunct of the army which in time of
war are to be called upon Immediately to
support our small army, and from which
must be drawn the officers who will COM
mand the volunteers who are to defend the
entire country. 1t is therefore only right
that the whole United States should con-
tribute toward the expenses of equipment
and instruction.
IT'S AN OLD PRINCIPLE.
It is interesting to note that this principle
was settled at the time of the formation of
the Government. In 1903 the annual ap-
propristion for the militia was fixed by
Thomas Jefferson at $500, 900. Although
the country grew enormously in wealth and
population no increase was made in this ap-
preparation until 1885, when, through the
exertions of the National Guard Associa-
ton, it was increased by Congress to $780,
600. This sum, however, is not paid In
money, but Is issued to the National Guard
of the different States lin proportion TO their
members of Congress) in arms and military
equipments which they require and which
remain the property of the Government BY
this method a double purpose is accom-
plished; il takes out of the arsenals and
brings into use equipments which would
otherwise rot or become obsolete from sge,
and also keeps employed the Government
manufactures OF arms and equipments.
The National Guard Association Of the
United States is the body which represents
the general desires and feelings of the
guards. taken as a whole, as far as they have
auv representation. This is q voluntary
association which was formed in 1879 for
the purpose of improving the general eff
cheney of the National Guard and enabling
it to act as a compact organization in secur-
ing the reforms in legislation direct from
Congress. It has in all held SIX annual
conventions, at which the delegates from
the different States give their experiences In
regard to matters of general interest. such
as camps, regular army officers as instructors,
and similar points. These conventions were
held in New York, in January, 1873; st.
Louis. September, 1879; Philadelphia, 1881
Cincinnati, 1884, and Washington in De.
cember, 1885, and In February, 1880.
OFFICERS OF THE ASSOCIATION.
At these conventions the Adjutant Gen.
erals of each State appoint five officers or
ex-of6cers of the National Guard as dele.
gates. During the interim between the
meetings the association is controlled by the
officers and Executive Committee.
The writer of this article has been the
President of the association since its orgsni
cation and been reelected without opposi
tion at each annual meeting. The other
officers are:
First Vice President = Adjutant General
Samuel Dalton, Boston, Mass.
Second Vice President-GenerA Cnaries j.
Anderson Richmond, Va
Corresponding gSecretary-ColonelC Charles E
Bridge New York city,
Recording Seoretary-Colonel Fred 4. Farms
"IFsa NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. peeT0 Charles J. Bills Fairbury
Neb.
Executive Committee-From New England
states-Adiutant General Henry M sprague
Augusta. Me. From Middle States-General
Albert Ordway Washington, ID. Z. From
Southern States-Adjutant General James
Dodge Glenn, Greensboro. N. z. From
Western Suates-Colonel James NJ Rice,
Peoria. H. From Pacific States-General
Thomas j. Clunie, NJ. C., Washington. u. y
From Northwestern States-Colonel Charles D
Curtis, Helena, Mont.
At the last convention all the New En-.
gland, all the Middle States, with the eI.
ception OF New Jersey, the delegates from
which were accidentally prevented from
coming, all the Western States and such OF
the Southern States as have any National
Guard were Representative all more than
rs States and Territories, including the
District of Columbia.
STANDING JOKE.
Although in 1885, as stated, the National
Guard Association succeeded in Increasing
the appropriation, it did not succeed in re-,
pealing the obsolete militia law, This Law
was passed in 1875 and has been one of the
standing jokes OF the century-it MIGHT
safely be called the great national iol-e in
perpetuum. By the provisions of this Ia !,
the entire male population of the copntrr
between the ages Of 1S and As, are supposed