The morning call., 1892-08-29
THE GOOD OF 1T.
Satisfactory Results of the Recent State
Encampment.

Satisfactory Results Of the Recent State
Encampment.
The officers and men of the National
Guard Of California have good reason to
feel satisfied with the results of their late
encampment at Santa Cruz, Ventura aud
Long Beach. The entire division has had
profitable experience In field work. Recent
deplOrable events In other States have
given the country a vivid and painful
realization Of the value Of an efficient and
wel-discipllned mill tia in the maintenance
of law and order. The general spirit of
discomfort which has expressed itself in
open acts Of violence and in resistance to
civil authority elsewhere has fortunately
not extended 10 California. Nevertheless
these very outbreaks have furnished our
people with some striking examples of the
absolute guarantee OF protection to life,
security to property ana the assurance Of
social order which well-Tegulated, intelli-
gently officered. highly disciplined and per-
fecty equipped citizen sOldery afford.
Pennsylvania more than any other State in
the Union appears IN her military policy TO
have appT0Ximated the essential conditions
Of thoroughly military organization. The
prompt response 10 the call TO arms, the
effective mobilization of widely scattered
reserves, their rapid concentration upon
the focal point of disturbance, their
complete equipment for the field and
their admirable conduct in the presence
OF great emergency are all most
powerful arguments 10 prove the irestima-
BILE value to an American commonwealth of
an effective militia force. The Pennsyi-
vania National Guard have saved their
State countless lives and millions of dollars.
The demonstration at Homestead of the
omnipotenee Of the civil powers, backed by
It's organized military force. is most
complete demonstration and justification of
the legislative policy OF promotion by lib
eTal appropriations and wise laws the use
fulness and reliability of the military arm
OF State.
The rejecting citizen must soon be con-
Vinced that 1t is sufficient exactiOn i'm
posed upon the volunteers to the ranks of
the National Guard to have him surrender
his time FOR the necessary instruction in az
mory and street drills. and for 10 hold him.
self subject to duty whenever and wher-
ever the State requires his services. More
than this is imposition. The National
Guardsmen Of the future viii not only be
uniformed, armed ana provided with armo-
ries at the expense OF the State aud nation,
but the time he is actually required to give
TO field and camp instruction will be paid
for out of the State Treasury.
Another thought is suggested by the re-
cent encampments. The Federal Govern
ment, through its War Department, has
been closely observing their character and
PRACTICAL SCOPE. The affiiiation between the
regular and National Guard forces is being
yearly strengthened. The United States
Constitution imposes some duties and ubli-
cations upon Congress in respect to
the discipline to the militia Of the various
States. These duties and obligations have
been largely ignored. Army officers are
not sent into the militia camps for recre-
alton. There was no harder worked Off
Ger than Captain Barry at Camp Colum-
bus. Anacapa and Butler. At ali the camps
in other States the War Department has
been represented by regular army inspec-
tors and instructors. There is purpose i'm
this. The manifest object in view is Con-
gressiona legislation for the bettermen. of
the militia and the official reports Of the of
fcers detailed to this duty will constitute
the data upon which Congress can safely
and intelligently proceed In the direction Of
military reform,