The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-01-05
TO REDUCE THE EXPENSES
The Various Oficers Of the Montana
National Guard Express
Their Views.
Suggestions as to Pay OF Ofncers
and Men, and Annual En-
6ampments.
They All Agree hat Some Changes Should
be Made in the Way Of
Economy.

Governor Tooie some time ago wrote to
the different officers of the Montana Ma
tional Guard asking that they give their
views on the matter Of reducing the ex-
penses OF the state militia without impair
ing its efficiency. Most of the officers nd
dressed have answered, and their sugQes-
tions will be submitted to the legislature.
A. Il. Veazie, inspector general Helena,
recommends the d~isbsndmsnt Of the bat
terry, making the maximum Of the remain
ing twelve companies thirty men each; pay
ing all commissioned officers SO per day,
sergeant major $2.s5, first first sergeants
and regimental non-commissioned staff
$2.75, sergeants $3.50, corporals $3.50, musi-
clans $2.15, privates $2, thus saving 3d.
374.2 per day; the doing away with en-
campments, and having frequent drills and
practice In firing; the maximum Of the
companies should be cut down to thirty
men. rank and file; there should be at
least two inspections a year in addition to
the annual inspection; the infantry reRi-
ment should be cut Town to nine compa-
MES and the cavalry increased to three; the
regimental band should be mustered out;
the terms of commissioned officers should
be made continuous unless removed for
cause, as in some cases, when their time is
nearly ont, they become disinterested and
neglect their companies. thereby impairing
the efficiency Of the service,
John II. Miller, ordnance officer, Helena:
''The guard should not be regarded as our
entire force but as a small and w~ell-drilled
n disciplined body that would be prompt
ly increased when needed by recruiting.
Companies should be reduced to thirty
men. rank and file and receive enough arms
TO double its number, so that when danger
threatened it could Immediately enroll and
arm enough citizens to make a company of
sixty. Thu encampment should be abol-
ished, as it has proved q complete failure as
a means OF increasing our efficiency" More
company inspections, more target pratice
for men to SO for officers ars also recon-
mended. It is also suggested that three
troops Of cavalry be provided for, n that
If necessary one company OF infantry be
changed to cavalry. The total annual ex-
pense is then put at $40, 331 Is for nine com
airy.
Major T.. A.. Kinney, Helena-''Reduce
the infantry regiment, now consisting of
ten companies, to a battalion of Jour with
maximum membership Of forty men. the
minimum to remain at thirty; the company
ernor, not more than one in any city. tOwn
or village. Disband the artillery company
now stationed at Helena and distribute the
field pices to the infantry companies. Re-
tain the two troops Of cavalry, at Helena
and Bozeman, but reduce the maximum
membership to the same as the infantry
companies. Gradge the pay of officers and
enlisted men as follows: Privates. $1.O
per day: %corporals. 81. 10; serReants. 81; first
sergeants, 1925; non-commissioned officers,
$3.50; COMMISSIONS officers. $3. Dispense
with annual encampments and provide in
stead for monthly inspections by captains
and general inspections by inspector gen.
eral in August and November, in addition
to the one On May 3d."
Capt. VIM. Zastrow, Troop A. Helena,
suggests that 'the maximum number of
men for each company be reduced to say
thirty men. That there be no e~ncampment
for two or three years. In place thereof
each comra any should be inspected more
frequently, or the companies Of each city
should go in camp or on a march for three
or four days, or If an -encampment OF the
whole guard is held the members should
serve without pay. On all other occasions
the pay to be graded from $1.W to IS per
day. according to rank. In regard to re-
ducing the numbe of companies now IN
the guard, ] do not think it advisable, as
there are equipments now On hand for the
same. But if it should be necessary to re-
duce the same, / would suggest that a bat
talon of infantry consisting of five COM
panies and one of cavalry consisting of
three companies be formed, and should
there be any further necessity, discontinue
the artillery"
S. II. Douglas, adjutant general, sug-
gests in the interests of discipline and ex-
pense, the pay be made from $1.O to S.
a day, according to rank; privates. $1.50.
corporals, $1.6O; sergeants. s Us. first ser
geants, 81; second l%ieutenants, $3.50; first
l~ieutenants. $2.75; captains, 1926; majors.
1915; lieutenant colonies, S4.25; colonies,
*4.75; brigadIer generals, IS per day and
night; also that inspections be made Au-
gust 30, November 30 and February 22 by
@a,~l.~ A L. l
with the n o provided for. would make
four each year.. The minimum of each
company should not be less than thirty.
The regimental band should be done away
with except during an e~ncampment. With
these notifications he thinks the national
cost of 5000 a year. If this is foundt to be
too much he suggests that the infantry be
reduced to seven companies, making the
entire guard ten companies instead of thir-
teen, as now, and further reducing the ex-
pense 81, 800 per year.
Andrew Jensen. Company A, Great Falls
1.-THE only suggestion / could offer with a
view OF reducing the expense of the militia
without impairinR its efficiency, would be
the strict enforcement of a law compelling
each company, troop or battery to have, at
all times, the required number of active
members. not only on their rolls. but at
their weekly drills, and to allow no mem
Der to attend the annual encampments I'M
less the company roll boob showed his son
tinual and successive attendance at drill at
least once a week for three months before.
The inspector general should visit each
company at least ones a month to satisfy
himself that it had the required number of
active members, who we're doing all in
their power to perfect themselves in drill
and discipline. If found lacking, the COM
pany should be disbanded at once"
Col. Chas. ID. Curtis. Helena. submits
that the present organization of the guard
be maintained, but the maximum number
of enlisted men in each company be fifty,
the minimum thirty To avoid the great
expense of transportation to annual ell
campments, Col. Curtis suggests that the
companies be ordered into camp at their
local stations. Every few years, if the ap-
preparations warrant, the entire guard may
be ordere in camp Mt some central point.
The rations should be the same as issued to
the United States army. and the pay from
$3.50 to $5 per day, according to rank; gen
eral or colonel. So; Northumberland, s.;
major. 1878; captain. $3.50: first -lieuten-
ant. S2.75; second lieutenant, $3.50; SER
geant-major, 1925; first and commissary
serReants. 81. sergeants, $1.75; %corporals.
SLIGO: p%rivates. S1.J0.
IL. A. Craig. captain of Battery A. Helena:
II suggest, first. that all the present Ma
tional Guard of Montana be disbanded and
then reorganized with a limit of six or seven
companies. to be located in the different
cities of the state. at the discretion OF the
-ekief ant that tina uraaaut