The Helena independent., 1892-04-28
A RESORT IO,REGULARS.
The Recent Call for Government
Troops to Put. Down Local
Disturbances.
suggests an Examination Of Ser
vice Performed by the
National Guard.
PennsyIvAaia HsAds the List In this Tre-
quency With which Troops Have
Been Called Out.

quency With Whtoh Troops Hays
Bsen Called Out.
WARRINGTON. April 27.-Ths recent resort
- the regulars Of Fort Mckinney for put.
ting down local disturbances In Wyoming
On account Of the lack OF suitable forsa
Of state troops, suggesta an examination o1
the service performed by the national
guard OF other states under similar sir-
Cumstances.
II happens that ths adjutant-gsn OF
the several states and territories have re-
csntlv furnished statstios on this subject,
brought mp to the present year. They
cover this oases in which the organ
lied militia have been called ont dur
ing the past twenty-five years. Naturally
there are great differences between the
states in this respect. Virginia. for ex-
ample reports calling ont her troops thirty
three times within tho period frem 1881 to
1891. Te1aa nearly equals this record,
since her troops were out twonty-nine
times in not quite sixteen years. Last
year they were employed on three occa-
sions-to assist 1t an execution, to disperse
mob, and to guard : Jail. Other duties
IN previous years had bssn TO serve against
hostile Indians. to suppress a convict up
rising, to guard against race troubles, and
80 on. At one time there were ~ many as
277 men out. Still another high record is
that Of Iowa, which has had her troops ont
twenty times since 1876. Tho railroad
riots, the mining troubles, the oustino Of
liquor sellers, and the arrest Of murdsrsrs
we're portion Of the occasions that re-
quired their services.
AZ contrast. Delaware. New Hampshire,
Rhode Island and Wyoming have not called
ont their troops at all for riot duty in the
last quarter Of 9 century. In the case Of
Wyoming, however, il was not for lack Of
occasion, as has just been seen. Vermont.
Georgia, Maryland and South Dakotn called
out their militia but onos each for such
duty in the period under review. credit
able fact in the Vermont case, : nlnera'
riot in 1885, was that out Of five companies
called upon. 50 per cent of tho mon re-
ported ut only two hours notice. Mary
lands one experience was costly, since
three regiments and battery were on duty
for month in the labor riots Of 1877, at an
expense to the state Of over $4,000.
But Pennsylyania far surpasses all other
states reported upon [and New York is
among those from which no returns are
printed( in the magnitude of the riot duty
imposed upon her militia. In tho rnininr
troubles OF 1871 she had ont 1000 mon from
April 70 May "a, at cost of S3SOOO; in
the lumber troubles Of 1872. $50 msn from
July ~ to August ], ct . cost of $4,000; in
the railroad troubles Of 1878, 500 men for
about six days. at a coat Of $25, in the
mining troubles Of 1875, 1850 men from
April to May 18, and June to Jnne %, at
cost Of $1l0 900; j. the riots Of 1877, no
fewer than 8, 453 mon. more or less from
July 10 70 November 15 at cost OF $71O.-
OeO; finally, in the mining troubles Of year
ago, 800 men from April 2 to May 26, ~ Z
cost Of S35, ,O3O.
A state which has lately had an abundant
use for her militia in riot duty is Tenn sssss.
Last year her whole national guard was cut,
at cost OF $4,000, in consequence of the
contract labor troubles; and at tho official
report l2b men were still in service, at a
cost Of $4,000 y month. It seemed pretty
clear, from the developments of last wear,
that the state needed more troops. New
Jersey, in the Orange riots of July, 1870,
had out 1000 men for one day and in
November Of the same year, a regiment for
guelling riot. In January, and again in
October Of 1876. regiment was called out,
while in the railroad riots of the following
July the wholo national guard was for 4
week under arms In Alabama, during the
seven years from Jan. l, 1883. to Jan. l,
1880, the militia were eallei ont tedly
to quell election riots, to protect jails, to
prevent lynchinga, to assist the sheriff in
making arrests to ropress mobs, and 80 on
On one occasion ~ many ~ 300 msn were
called called ont; on anothsr. eight COM
one Of cavalry. California called out her
militia five times between 1876 and 1884, for
guarding prisoners, qnellinR a riot ut Bsora-
msnto. ejeoting squattars, and so on, In
one case whole brigade was out, while in
mother two companies served a fortnight.
Colorado's militia have been out very otter.
both in riot duty and to furnish protsotion
ngalnst Indians, sometimes serving as long
na ten days. The Connecticut militia have
been called upon only fonr times since 1870
IN enforcing law and i'll REFRESHING or pre-
venting riots. On two of these occasions
i've companies were out.
In four out Of the six occasions when tba
M assa achusetts troops were called out they
Kept order at great fires in Boston, Spring
held, Lynn and Lawrence. Wisconsin had
her troops oat i've times from 1881 to 1890,
the largest number called upon being 1856
riots of 1856. Tho Kansas troops have heen
ont on eight timss on important occasions.
The Chinese riots called ous the entira
national guard of the atato OF Washington
IN 1856; the Seattle fire. five ompanies in
1889; last years coal mining troubles a
reRiment of infantry and a troop Of cavalry.
These examples will give a, good idea Of
the extent and variety Of the work of the
organized state troops in all parts Of this
union. It ID only by collecting suoh d.
tails, as the house committee on militia
has done much moro fully than it has been
necessary to do here, that an accurate no
tion can be had of the trus value OF the
militia for these purposes 1t performs
work that would otherwise fall upon the
nrmy, under the guarantee which the oon-
stltutlon gives that each state shall be pro-
tected by the United States, if necessary.
from domestic violence. Thus in double
way, including it's local preservation of or.
der hs we'll as it's readiness to answer the
call OF the president against foreign in
vader, it can fairly appeal to tho liberal
support OF congress, and it's record AS here
Indicated should help to support that claim.
d 4 ID L :, II