Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-04-18
SUPPORT THE NATIONAL GUARD.

a.
Capt. PAGE is right. If tho State Of
West Virginia has need OF a military
force, the men comprising IL should be
paid for their services. Patriotism is
all right and the West VirgiRians have
as much Of # as any other people in
the world, but il is not to be expected,
aud should not be asked, that men
should leave their private business
affairs and expose themselves to
the danger OF death IN order to
protect the lives or property Of
others without some recompense. Forty
three cents a day and glory is mighty
little recompenss for the services a
member OF the National Guard Is ex-
pscted to render and the hardships he
must endure while 10 active service.
And though the times when active ser
vice is required are fortunately few
and far between, still no one knows
when the troops may be required and
they must live in constant readiness to
answer a0y call
The work Of the soldiers in the Ma
tional Guard is by no means light, even
when they are not in the field, and the
demands upon their time and pocket
books have been so heavy that in some
Instances the law has been defed, the
courts have been sought, and the future
usefulness Of part OF the National
Guard has been endangered.
To secure the necessary discipline and
training TO make the troops at all efec-
tive, at least one evening in every week
must be devoted to drill. Frequently
in the more proficient companies more
time than this is taken. Once in each
year every enlisted man is required TO
leave home and spend five days in camp,
the whole trip usually occupying an en-
tire week. For al this work Of prepa-
ration he receives not one cent, but on
the contrary is subject to a heavy fine
for every absence. To require attend
ance is right, for without proper train
ing and experience a military company
is no better than an armed mob. But
to require attendance without pay is
wrong.
Computing the time which every SOL
der is required TO give the state, in
GLIDING weekly drills and annual en-
campment, he is found to serve in every
year enough time to make about thirty
days Of eight hours each or more
than twenty days Of ten
hours each. This Is the service each
enlisted man is expected to render the
State and for which be gets not &c Mt
Of pay. And more than this, he is
liable at any time to be called into
active service, when he is paid at the
munifcent rate OF S13 month for the
time he serves.
AT the time OF the recent miners
strike in the Kapawha valley more than
hundred men responded to the Gov
errors call and spent about two weeks
in camp. They left their families and
names, gave up their means OF
support, slept on the hard bare floors Of
several school houses, ate ia negro
cabins such rough food as they could
get, walked lonely beats at midnight
and exposed themselves TO the bullets
Of the enemy. And for their two weeks
work the States allows them each about
six dollars ana a half. These men were
not out for amusement. They were out
because it was their duty to go aud see
the law obeyed, They are entitled to
reward and they should have it.
One gallant captain, during the two
weeks service, remarked that his men
had all Quit work TO answer the Gov
ernor's call, tina; they had left positions
which were paying them good wages to
accept the paltry forty-three cents a
dav. He said he would not see them
work as they we're doing for sum so
near to nothing, and that if the State
did not increase their pay while out, he
would.
II the National Guard is to be main
tanned and its services are expected by
the State, provision should be made for
its maintenance.
.subsoriPs for the leading Iecal and tsls