St. Paul daily globe., 1893-03-28
SENATOR DAVIS, VICTORY.
The RiII TO SOlIdiry the National
Guard SO Pass.

Guard SO Pass.
Senator Davis military code bill, pro-
viding that the national guard of the
state shall be only two regiments, and
defining the organization in detail, was
considered by the senate committee of
the whole. The author of the bill
moved its passage. and supported
the motion with set speech,
in which he recited the his
tory of the guard. The annual
appropriation is $4,000 only, to be di-
yiued among the three regiments and
artillery companies. The law provides
for a brigade formation, but Senator
Davis urged that such would be fool
ish move.
1t was urged that the regiments are
weak, and that they have dwindled
down to twenty-Seyen companies. The
bill cOnlemplateS strengthening the
regiments, following out the methods
and tactics adopted by the national gov
ernment. The appropriation is not
sufficient to support and maintain a
brigade formation. The measure de-
creaSeS the expense of one encampment,
one band and some twenty-SeVen Off
GERS. Senator Davis disciaimed origi-
mating the bill. 1t comes from the com
panes OF the Second and Third regi-
ments, and some of the companies of
the First regiment. Some of the COM
panies OF the First regiment, however.
are fighting the bill purely because OF
Brig. Gen. Bend.
Mr.. Davis explained that the saving
that the bill will make will strengthen
two regiments and encourage greater
efficiency. He held that the decrease
would aggregate approximately some
-, COZ q year. Then the $4,000 Will be
ample. The guard is now $4,000 in
deUt; one encampmeHt mad to be aDan-
doned besides.
Senator j. W. Peterson Interrupted
that he knew companies that were op-
posed to the bill. He had no personal
interest in the bill.
II am astonlshed," returned Senator
Davis. Then we will have to ask for
an additional appropriation"
Il would do that willingly" said the
senator from GOOdhue, IF it were neceS-
sary, but it is not"
Senator SanbOrn had received letter
from the adjutant general declaring
that the department is opposed to the
bill. and this officer, in a personal con-
versatiOn, had insisted that the meas
ulC MOuia lCoull lGfllg W 0iiI QCbI1-
ment of the guard. The bill had origin
ated from the petty jealousies growing
out of the election of the brIgadier gen
eral. There were several candidates,
and the defeat suffered by some of them
mas bred trouble.
Senator Sanborn, in arguing the i'm
portance of a brigade formation, de-
clared that every generation has its
war.
II doubt if in any age there ever
lived man for forty years who never
saw war;" said he. He then moved to
Indefinitely postpone.
Senator Barr had consulted the Off
GERS OF his companies. and he had
found, with a single exception, that
they favored the bill, and Senator
Hompe cOntended that one of the worst
features OF service in the late war was
! that there were too many officers and
too few privates. He predicted that
the day is not far distant when the
present methods of warfare will be so
revOlutionized that there will be no use
of the militia. The bombs used in Rus
Sia and red-handed anarchists of this
country, in the hands Of few. would
quickly destroy a whole regiment, and
! he had no doubt that the nation. in
the event of war that is driven to the
wall will resort to just such methods.
He favored the bill, as did Senator Kel-
ler, who spoke warmly in favor of cut
ting down the number of officers SO that
the prlvateS may be better supported.
Senator O'Brien opposed, and Senator
Marsh moved that the committee arise
and report progress, but Senator DAVIS
wanted TO bring the measure to an issue.
The motion to Indefinitely postpone
was then put and lost, and then the
committee recommended the bill to
pass.