St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-01-22
shooters. A decision on the question
was held over until to-day.

by the citizen Soldlery. and a fair de-
gree of proficiency obtained. The next
step is thorough and complete inStruc-
ton in tacticS-the means whereby
separate units are compacted into a
homogeneous mass. for the object of
minor tactics has been defined to be to
enable the commanding officer to place
each and any soldier on the spot he is
to occupy in any desired formation in
the most rapid manner. consistent with
the complete control OF the men in all
stages of the movement. If the in
StructiOn of the soldier is the prime
consideration, start the troops toward
the rendezvous over the country.
equip them for the field, give
them tents, wagons and rationS,
and have them march as
they would have TO march
II called suddenly by the executive of
the state into service away from rail-
roads, thus giving them that invaluable
training and experience that can only
be acquired by actually doing thing.
When the companies reach the place for
encampment, have the troops pitch
their tents and prepare their food as it
is done in the army, by competent
cooks, with details from the company
to assist. The camp having been
formed, the routine of duty should i'm
mediately begin by instruction in camp
sanitation and police and the practice
of as
MANY MILITARY EXERCISES
as time will permit. He urged the
formation and posting of the camp
guard, the observance of paradeS, re-
views. inspection and target practice,
exercise of the troops in the school of
the battalion, including skirmishing,
grand guard and outpost duty. This
includes the formation and posting of
grand guard, instruction of the duties
OF the field officers of the day. posting
the main guard and the duties of its
commander. the posting OF the sup
ports. the outpoSts and the sentinels, or
videttes. and their duties; the formation
Of the grand rounds, and the duties OF
the officers making it, patrols in con-
nectiOn with grand guard duty, etc.
Offensive reconnaissance should be
made with heavy forces. The entire
command should be used. They are to
ascertain for certainty where the
enemy is, the nature of his defenses,
the strength of his position and the eX-
act location. Col. Mason described the
regime of practice marches over country,
and the benefits TO be derived there
from.
A lively discussion was created by
Col. Mason'S paper.
PAPER SOLDIERS.
Capt BrunSOn, of Saltwater, did not
believe in marching the members of the
national guard into the wilderness to
cook their own food. II it was at
tempted, he declared he would get
very small proportion of his company.
He did not believe in rigidly enforced
armv discipline. If this was not done
to such an extent in the regular army.
there would not be the number of
deserters that occurred.
Adjt. Gen. Mullen believed Col. Ma
sons suggestion about the national
guard could not be carried out. In the
first place. the guard was not equipped
for marching and camping out at night.
He did not think the members of the
national guard would cordially take it
up. They would not enter into that
kind of service without asking the queS-
ton: What is the end of all this?"
Gen. Mullen declared. in tine event of
actual warfare, the state guard would
not have the slightest compunctiOn to
undertake sucn work, but they would
not do so if there were no necessity
for it.
Maj Ives, of st. Peter, was of the
opinion that too much of their time was
taken up with the routine of battalion
movements. There was necessity for
them to 20 outside this routine work if
the state guard was to he of any use if
called into active warfare.
Capt. G.. K. Davis, OF st. Peter, was
quite OutSpOken against this opposition
To the guard undertaking field marches.
There was too great tendency for
guardSmen to be mere paper soldiers.
What was the use of them Joining a ma
tiOnal guard if they were averSe to par
ticiDating in field marches? 1t was not
enough that they should be drilled.
Something more than battalion move
ments were requisite in actual warfare.
For these reasons he was DESTROYS of
seeing Col. MaSon'S suggestions adopted
as soon as possible.
GEORGE EMPLOYERS.
Capt. Bean, of st. Paul, referred to
the difficulty eXperienced in securing
men to attend the annual encampment,
owing to the refusal of employers to
allow them vacation. He thought a
law should be passed making it INSIDE
meanor for an employer to refuse to let
member of the national guard go 10
the regular encamDment. The Mime
sofa national guards were worse
equipped tnan any other guards in the
Northwestern states.
Col. Wright, of Minneapolis. declared
that if the national guard had the sa me
equipment as was afforded the regulars
the guardsmen would display no leth-
argy in undertaking field marches.
CAPT. Chantler, of st. Paul, ridiculed
tine statement that the hardships to be
encountered would deter members of
the national guard participating in
these field marches.
THERE is NO SCUM,
Col. Mason, by way of reply, stated
that he W S aware that the national
guard was not now properly equipped
for these field marches. But he held
the opinion that the time was not very
far distant when they would be as we'll
equipped as the regulars. He con-
troverted the statement that the disci-
pline in the regular army was harsh.
At Fort Smelling the past year there had
been less than 10 per cent under discI-
pilne-there was SIS per cent of the rank
and file at that fort to whom not
single word of reproof had been uttered.
This cry in the newspapers about de-
SerterS was erroneous. The fact was
the American army was cursed
with set of repeaters. The
10 per cent of the rank and file urder
military discipline at Fort Smelling last
year were men VINO had been repeatedly
III the army-WorthleSS Sc0undrels.
"Disabuse your minds" added the col
onel, warmly, ''that the rank and file of
the regular army is made up of the
scum of the earth. 1t is not so; it is
not So" Col. Mason concluded that
the time was bound to come when
the national guard would become a
body of soldiers, and not play soldiers.
Adjt. Gen. Mullen secuted the idea
that an employer could be compelled
by Legislation 10 allow his employees,
members of the national guard, to at
tend the annual encampment.
President and Col. Bend said the ma
tional guard would do we'll to first Sc
cure proper equipment and then take
up these practice marches.
Others participated in the discussion,
and ultimately the matter went over to
to-day, the intention being to formulate
prayer to the legislature for large
appropriation for the national guard,
so that all adequate equipment can be