The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-02-02
THE STATE GUARD.

Leaving out the question altogether
as to where the State Guard encamp-
ment shall be held the Messenger de
sires 10 say word in behalf Of the
State Guard itself. The thorough or
ganiza,on Of a strong military force in
all the Southern States IS an imperative
necessity. Each State owes it to its
own safety to keep strong military
ready. This means thorough train
ing and discipline. In The last de-
cade there are several Southern States
that have been compelled to call out
part OF their discipline soldiery. North
Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Louis
lana, Alabama and Mississippi have all
had pressing need for the trained citi-
zen soldiery.
1t is surely no time to lessen their
numbers or their efficiency. 1t is no
time to play the paltry game of penny
wise and pound foolish. With an ele-
men: in all the States looking to vio-
lence and plunderings-as bad or
worse in the North as it is in the South
it is certainly not in order to disband
the forces and invite anarchy and
crime to do their devilish work I'M
checked.
North Carolina has to-day larger
better furnished body of State troops
than ever before. 1t is as much
needed in 1898 as at any time in the
history of the State since eruption OF
the "barbarians' the carpet-baggers
and their allies.
1t is not hopeful to see the Legisla-
ture trying to reduce its efficiency, and
by inexcusable parsimony to attempt
to disgust the volunteer body and
make it less valuable.
No money can be better spent than
$1,000 a year in keeping up to the
best possible standard of efficiency the
noble State Guard of North Carolina.
1t costs, we think, quite $1,000
every day the Legislature sits. Already
more than $4,000 have been utterly
wasted by the members in useless
"buncombe" and in foolish bills that
have been introduced just to be killed.
If the members will indulge less in
frothy talk and silly attempts at law
making they can save the State more
than enough to keep up the efficiency
of the State Guard. Surely, the wis
dom OF the Legislature will not favor
any project looking to the injury OF
that much needed body of soldiers.
Think of it. The more than 1000
men who constitute the State Guard
serve the great public without pay.
They give their time-often at much
sacrifice to employers-to this service
and with no remuneration from North
Carolina. If their services are needed
to suppress a riot or a mob-as in
Tennessee when several of the volun-
teers were killed-they do SO at the
peril of their lives, and receive no
reward in money, but receive the
plaudits of men, some of them utterly
inappreciative of the importance of
such faithful organization.
And yet great Slate-one of the
Old Tnirteen-that boasts of its devo-
ton to Liberty, of its promptness to
resent wrongs and oppression, that is
great in making history, that pays not
a cent to the individual soldiers for
services, proposes to cut down the beg
carly allowance. Shall it be?
If the Legislature has not the sense
of justice and right, and is so desti-
tute of liberality and appreciation as
to try to reduce the efficiency of the
State Guard, then the members of it
would be only visiting upon the State
retributive justice if every mothers
son of them was to resign and quit the
soldering business. The soldiers
ought to be paid by the State for every
day Of service.-Wilmington Messen-
ger.