The record-union., 1894-01-27
TIE n. G. C. OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.
What it Has Accomplished for the
Citizen SOIdiery.
The President, General Dickinson,
Reviews Its Work-The Last
Convention.

The proceedings of the tenth annual
ccavention of the National Guard Off,
GERS Association of California have been
printed and sent to the various military
headquarters in the State. The associa-
tlon holds its meetings in San Francisco.
and its purposes are to further the interest
OF the National Guard in every possible
way.
In the annual report of the President OF
the association, Brigadier- General John
ii. Dickinson, Commanding the Second
brigade, n. q. c., says:
1.-The services Of the officers and mem
bers OF the association who have devoted
any time to its interests are necessarily
and properly rendered without COM
pensation, and therefore the least that
they can expect is the cooperation OF
their brother officers.
This we have not bad to the extent
that is desirable. Some officers, and
some of prominence, have contended
that the association has been and is OF no
benefit to them, and have declined, and
still do decline, to contribute to its sup
port, and in some letters which have
been received in the not very distant
past, suggestions have been made to the
effect that the association was originated,
has been continued and now exists
chiefly for the benefit of the Second
Brigade OF our National Guard.
AN investigation of this matter will
clearly show that such has not been, and
Is not now the case. When the organiZa-
tion commenced its work there were forty
companies in the National Guard. BY
reason Of the concert of action brought
about through this organization, and
The work and labor, most of which
has been done by the officers of the Sec
ond lSan francisco and Fourth (Sacra-
mentO) Brigades, as the records will
clearly and amply show, the companies
have been increased to seventy, but one
OF which has gone to the Second Brigade.
The other twenty-nine have gone to other
parts of the State, and properly so.
As to appropriations, notwithstanding
that the expenses of the majority of the
companies outside of the Second Brigade
are much less, particularly for rent, than
are those of the companies OF the Second
Brigade, they are and have been ex-
actly the same.
"These matters are referred to and an
investigation of them challenged by any
one who doubts their correctness, and as
harmony and cooperation should prevail
in this organization. strong movement
las been on foot for some time looking TO
the dlsbandmenL of the organization, and
thus allowing each separate organization
to take care of its own interest without
reference TO any other. AS to this matter
/ do not desire to express any opinion. l
have been the President of it since it's or
ganization, and you will pardon me if l
say that l have labored for the best inter-
ests of the entire National Guard, and
have in that labor assisted and been as
sisted by the majority of its officers"
An effort has been made to dissolve the
National Guard Officers Association, and
that fact was the principal cause for Cen
eral Dickinson referring to the supposi-
tions and alarming ideas of some of the
interior regiments that the Second Brig
ade only was the object of any considera-
tion at the hands of the association.
The report of Lieutenant-ColonelH II. 2.
Bush, Treasurer Of the association, shows
that there is due from the various organ
izations in the guard the sum of 81 ,0O3
OF this there was due from the Second
Infantry First Artillery $50. 1t may
be stated, however, that nearly every
regiment in the State, according to the
Treasurer's report, is delinquent as well
the Second Infantry.
The proceedings contain reports of
various committee. in which it is shown
that the association is alive to the cares
and wants of the National Guard, and
that it will receive unbounded considera-
ton at the hands of the association, no
matter whether attention is directed to a
company located far from thickly pop
ulated neighborhood or to the company,
troop, or battery located in the large
cities of the State.