The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-05

The militia, once In the service OF the
United States, can be sent wherever the
president sees fit. but no guardsman, by
reason of his enlistment in the National
Guard. can be compelled to do military
duty outside of the state in which he is
member of the guard.
During our civil war President Lincoln
could call for volunteers, and could enforce
draft, but President Lincoln could not
have obliged the New York Seventh regi-
ment to have left the state to defend
Washington.
If congress declared war tomorrow and
called out the militia, and the president
made reauisition on the governor of New
York for certain number Of militia men,
the only men subject to call are
the militia existing through the con-
stitution and the militia act of 1872.
The governor could reply that there was
not a single national militiaman in his
state, that the men at his disposal were
the state guard, organized and maintained
by acts of its legislature, and that, as they
were not the product Of any national
legislation, he did not recognize the right
of the president Of the United States to
make requisition for them. This would
be sure TO be the answer of any governor
who was disaffected to the Federal adj
ministration. Suppose that when the
civil war of 1876 broke ont the governor
Of Oregon had been Pennoyer; the COVER
nor of Ohio had been Vallandigham;
or the governor of Indiana had been
Voorhees, or Hendricks instead of Morton,
what answer would have been returned to
Lincoln's call for troops. The answer
would have been as unequivocal if not
quite as discourteous negative as that
returned by Governor Rector. of Arkansas,
'Not man; not dollar; go 10 HI,
Cd d-n you." Then the president would
have to call for volunteers; and these he
would not get unless the war was popular
in that state. During the war of 1872
several of the New England states refused
to furnish troops for the war.
From this statement of facts it is clear
that the drilled and disciplined militia of
the states are entirely beyond the reach or
control of the president in time of war.
This highly unsatisfactory military situa-
ton is made the subject of an excellent
communication in the current number of
the Century, by Lieutenant r. K. Evans,
U. s. A, who, among other things, says:
OF course the individuals composing the state
armies are at liberty 10 assist the president in
his war, provided the governors do not interiors
to prevent them But there have been several
instances where governors have SO interfeyed.
In short, the citizens accept or decline the nvi-
tation to attend the war, as best pleases them.
When everything in the nation is stased on the
chances OF battle, the president of 6O,o00000 of
people should not be an issuer of invitations, but
Of orders.
Lieutenant Evans presents plan which
answers two very important questions;
first, how shall the requisite number of
men be disciplined and drilled; second,
how shall the government be guaranteed
that in time of need it can command the
services of the identical men upon whom
it has spent its time and money.
The government could not afford to arm
and drill men and then leave the matter
in such shape that when it called for
soldiers the state governors could give it
either raw recruits or none at all. at their
pleasure, which would be the state Of
affairs should it spend money on the So
called National Guards as they now stand.
Lieutenant Evans holds that the govern
ment, in proposing to arm and train A
and B to be soldiers, should have the
power of insuring itself that when it asks
for soldiers in an emergency it shall get
A and b, whom it has trained, and not
@ and d, who are ignorant Of a soldiers
business.
He would have the government pay the
cost of training militiamen in all the
states, reserying the right to command at
any time the services of the identical men
whom it has trained. The United States
could well afford to pay annually, per man,
$50 for standard militiamen. New York
pays annually per man for the state guard
S35. Lieutenant Evans would have con-
gress fix the number of men for whose
military instruction it saw fit to provide
by inserting a corresponding sum in the
yearly appropriation bill. 1t could train
10000 men for 81, 900, 900, 10000 for 2,000,-
600, and so on, according to the varying
needs of the country.
Under this plan the dual allegiance
owed by every citizen to the general and
state governments would be recognized.
The militia would be entirely under the
control of the state for local purposes, ex-
cepr at such times as congress might call
them forth for the national defense. The
states would furnish the men and the gov
eminent would pay the cost, the general
government claiming the right of prece-
dence in commanding their service This
is an excellent plan, which would make
the state national guards practically ma
tional militia when the nation invoked
their armed assistance.