Telegram-herald., 1891-08-25
A NATIONAL MILITIA
The Effort TO Organise tho state
Troops In One Great Army.
HOW TIE MOVEMENT ORIGINATED
Regular ofnesrs Working 1.-THE Entire
National Guard 10 he Under Csstrei
of Cengrsss-Proposed Piaa Of
orSanizatiea-


Sr. Louis, Aug. 24.-tt has already
been announced that the ofhcers OF the
army are endesyoring to consolidate
the militia of the several states into
one organization 10 act rs an auxiliary
TO tho army should the occasion require
it. This 10 the way the movement orig
mated and the plan proposed: A day
or SD before the tents OF Camp WICK
ham were struck Colonel Milton Moore
called together all the soldiers who
were in camp and said that two officers
of the army wished to address them
upon a subject Of prime importance 70
the militia. The officers were Lieuteil'
ant Robert +. Evans, of the Twelfth
Infantry, and Lieutenant Joseph x.
Batehelor, of the Twenty-fourth lnfan'
try. The two soldiers broached their
proposition with great enthusiasm. A
constitution of the Association of the
National Guard of the United States
was produced. 1t was printed on long
sheets, which were distributed among
the militamen. The objects or the
proposition were declared to be "to
provide for the defense Of the United
States"
Nationalixing the Guard.
"To that end to actually and practi-
cally nationalize the National Guard OF
the various States III such manner
that the companies. troops and batter
les thereof, as such may, on their appl.-
cation, be enrolled in the National
Guard of the United States, remaining
during peace under State control, being
in war Immediately available for na.
tional defense upon the call OF Con-
gress and receiving from Congress
reasonable financial support at all
times to secure uniformity in the arm
ing, equipping and training of the Ma.
tional Guard and means of MAINTAIN.
ing for it a high standard of efficiency.
'To transfer the responsibility tor
the maintenance and efficiency OF the
National Guard from the various States
to the United States Congress, where II
properly belongs. SO that the source OF
its vitality shall be In the Congress al
Washington, and not in the Legislature
of the separate States, which may, nj
any time, through hostility, parsilnOny
or neglect. destroy their quota OF the
national force-in short, to lay for o
most important national institution one
broad nstional foundation, instead oi
attempting to maintain 1t on fl separ-
ate ones, as At present"
Plan of Organizing.
The slips then gave the plan of organ
izing the association. Whenever any
company Of not less than 90 men want
to Join the association they may do SC
by forming themselves into All infantry
company, calvary troop or battery
and reporting to the governor OF thel'
state. The governor forwards then
application to the secretary OF tho war
who enrolls them.
Each cavalry troop will be paid 5,O0(
by the government the first year 1t Il
organized and $1,000 every year after
that. The artillery gets the same pay
Each infantry company will get $1,000
year after the first year. The cavalry
and artillery, in order to draw thelI
yearly pay, must own their own horses
Whenever q state has got 200 men OF
more enrolled in the guard, the secre
tary of war is to detail an officer of the
regular army to establish headquarters:
in the state and act as inspector OF the
forces, but without commanding power
Ready for tho Field.
The companies wilt draw their yearly
appropriation from the Government
upon the report of this officer. After
q formal annual inspection they ara in
condition for efficient field service. In
time of peace the forces shall he under
coutrol Of the state, but when wal
arises and it becomes the duty, accord
ing TO the laws OF Congress, to call out
the armed forces of the United States
1t shall first put these armed guards on
the field. They shall be under COM
mand like regular troops, and their pay
aud rank the same as that OF the regu.
lar army. Lieutenants Evans and
Bachelor said the organization was tc
be effected by bill which Congress
was TO be asked to pass ut the coming
session, and they wanted the Missouri
militiamen to get up petitions for III
passage. Quiet and effective work wa
being done In all the states, they saio
and all the reports were encouraging