Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-26


than little injury. It is the error Of discip-
linary carelessness. Many guardsman who
really intends to be a reputable soldier says
when demonstrated with for failure to do some
thing no really ought to have done, "Oh, this is
n purely voluntary affair. anyhow" and thus
attempts to satisfy a mistaken conscience.
These arc the men-good fellows most of
them-who are vet without a realizing sense Of
the obligation they took when they enlisted or
accepted commissions. The argument that
service in the National Guard il voluntary is
sound, bat it will not 20 far in such cases as
those referred to. It is purely optional with
any man whether he shall or shall not Join the
guard-he may go in or stay out-but soon
as he takes the oath prescribed by law then he
is no longer an absolutely free agent; he must
do what he is told to do, and the more promptly
aud the better he does it the better soldier is
he. Or his own motion he has sworn to obey
the powers which the active principles of good
government have set over him, and from the
moment of his taking upon himself the obliga-
ton of obedience until be secures his discharge
or resigns his commission he is under
the control of his superior officers.
He cannot absent himself from drills or parades
or rifle practice and then excuse his absence by
arguing that the service required of him was
nothing more than voluntary, for he is not a
volunteer and has not been since he elected to
the authorities were inclined to be stiff there
could be no question about their ability to
compel obedience. OF course the discipline Of
the District National Guard will never, in time
Of peace, be as rigid as the law says it may be,
SO no one need become excited, but it is Just as
well for those who are forever talking about
not doing this thing that thing because
don't have to- to understand that the volun-
tary feature of National Guard service expires
at enlistment. There is nothing harsh in this
truth. The United States and the District of
Columbia are not spending money on the Ma
ional Guard without purpose. They expect
to receive faithful service in return for the
many-bnt not too many-dollars invested, and
the only men who fail to render this service and
who prove recreant to the trust placed in their
keeping in response to their own reques are
those who shirk duty and then try to excuse
their laziness or carelessness by saving II don't
have to do this thing unless l want to-" Men
who have no more respect than that for a SOL
emn oath are out of place in patriotic organ
Aation like. the District National Guard.
GALLERY RIFLE PRACTICE IS OVER.
Tonight the rifle practice for the season of
1892 comes to an end, the gallery having been
opened for the past week so that belated or am
bilious guardsmen should be enabled to COM
plete or better their scores. Comparatively
few have avaied themselves Of the privilege
afforded and it now seems quite probable that
the necessary aggregate will. because of their
own careessness, have to wait at least another
year before they can secure sharpshootrs' crosses
and marksmen's buttons. None of those who
have failed to qualify can blame any others
than themselves, for the gallery and the range
were open more continuously this year than
they ever were before. The next event on the
rifle practice program is In the hands of the
company commander; it is the making up of
the annual rifle practice reports. Blanks for
this purpose will be distributed by Monday, and
it is the desire OF the inspector general Of rifle
practice that they be returned to him, il pos
sible, not later than next Thursday morning
In the ordinary course of events these blanks
would have been distributed some time ago.
but circumstances and printers are mighty and
will sometimes prevail A new and extremely
simple blank has been prepared in which every
thing Is made plain, even to the manner in
which the paper should be folded for trans
initial. Two company officers can easily
make out the returns in one evening, SO there
doesn't seem to be any real reason why, in spite
of the lateness of the distribution, the reports
cannot be in by Saturday next.
WHAT NEW YORK HAS DONE WITH THE RIFLE
New York state troops are through with their
practice for the year ard Brig Gen. Whit
locks report shows a decided improvement
there being S3l marksmen and 223 sharpshoot-
ers more than there were last year. The COM
parative results for the past and present year
will be OF interest to many rifemen,