The morning call., 1893-06-25

of the National Guard scan be reduced to a
minimum. AS it is. most of the money
goes in payment of rent.
"For about one-half of the time since
1884 the State has made allowances for en-
campments, although the guard has en-
camped every year and has expended a
great deal of money raised among them
selves for encampment purposes as well as
for other purposes.
1.-The patriotism which exists in the
of country, its constitution, and his
desire to maintain them. and see
them preserved intact, is the rea-
son why so many are found who are
willing to serve gratultously in the ranks
of our National Guard, and as we would
encourage these ideas. and preserve our
institutions, so should we encourage such
service on the part of our citizens.
I'm the great wars which our country
has passed through, and in many minor
conflicts between the citizens of different
States In the suppression OF riots. and in
assisting the civil authorities, the National
Guard throughout our country has rem
dered most excellent service upon great
number of occasi0us, and has demon
strated its ability to take the field at very
short notice, and utilize the know ledge ac-
quired during the intervals of peace.
"a ii able-bodied citizens between Is and
45. by the constitution of the country,
which Is uniformed and drills regularly,
is called the National Guard, and that is a
substitute for regular army, which all
other Governments find it necessary to
maintain, at great expense, to maintain
their positions as nations. The maInten-
ance of regular army is contrary to the
spirit of republican,, but the maintenance
of a National Guard is in accordance with
that spirit which says and demands thar
while we are peaceable and inclined to
peace, yet we are prepared and should
be prepared to resist violence and defiance
of the law upon any and all occasions, as
we'll as to command the respect of other
nations and preserve cur dignity and self
respect.
1T has been, until during quite recent
years, favorite subject of harmless COM
ment, almost to ridicule. to speak and
write funny things about the National
Guard, but its services rendered during
recent years in the quelling of riots and
the preservation of peace and Of life and
property have opened the eyes Of the
general public to the fact that it is an
existing and powerful feature 10 our
methods of government, maintain ed
through the voluntary services of our
citizens, who are always willing to even
risk their lives in the support of their
Government.
I'm California. as in other States, the
guard is armed almost entirely by the Cen
eral Government, which allots a certain
amount of money to each State and Terri
tory annually. which can be drawn in arms,
equipments, uniforms or camp eQGipage !;
but our needs have been such that this
money has In the past been drawn entirely
in arms and equipments. leaving the uni
forms and camp eQuipage to be bought by
the State and by lne individual members
of the guard itself.
''rhere is no question that the amount
nf MOI Tod oil r- inf har, -,
tenance of the guard is we'll spent. The
State receives the very best and most in
telligent service for it without paying any,
Thing but merely the actual expenses Of
the maintenance of the organizations in
and through which the services are rem
dered.
IF our people will only stop and ex-
anime into the merits of the guard there
Will be no occasion whatever to criticize
! IS existence or the amount of money eX-
pended upon it. They must ever keep in
mind the great amounts of money eX-
pended annually for the maintenance and
pay or police officers, courts of justice,
prisons and other State institutions which
are necessity and which are rendered all
the more secure and powerful, in fact, all
powerful. by the knowledge on the part
OF the people that there is An additional
police power, the National Guard, which
can be called upon at any time TO assist in
the maintenance of law and order.
when the expense of maintaining this
organization is compared with other ex-
penses, 1t sinks into lnsignihcance; for
one good riot in any center of population
in the State could in few hours destroy
more property. to say nothing of lives,
than it costs to maintain the guard for a
great number of years.
In our own State, upon mum erous occa-
sions, the knowledge of the fact that there
was National Guard at hand, ready TO
assist in the maintainence of law ana or
der, has prevented many riots, which
would have been otherwise costly in life
and prOnartv''