The herald., 1894-12-02
IDEAS ABOUT THE MILITIA,
Wanted, a National Guard OF
the United States.
On What Lines Many Remedial
Changes Should Be Made.
Some Reforms Suggested by . FORMER
Adjutant-G Con sral = A Review of
tho Guards Dsvelopmsnt.
Its Possibilities.
[BY GEN. TOMBSTONE JONES. ]

In view Of the growing importance of
the National guard. and the possibility
of reformatory legislation by congress.
IL is we'll to inquire into the federal rela.
tions of this force, and on what lines
the needed reforms should be made.
1t is worthy OF observation that all
the state troops now organized as ma
tional guards, volunteer militia, state
guards and the like. exist in more or
less disregard of the United States mill
tia law-the original act of congress,
May 8. 1892, and its amendments. This
sble-bodied citizen OF the respective
states, resident therein, who is OF the
age of Is years, and under the age of As
years. 1t declares that the militia Of
each state shall be arranged into divi.
sions, brigades, regiments. battalions
and companies, as the legislation of the
state may direct; each brigade to con.
sist OF four regiments; each regiment to
consist OF two bnttalions each battalion
OF five companies; each company of "a
privates. There shall be formed for
each battalion at least one company of
grenadiers, light infantry or rifiemen.
and for each division at least one com.
pany OF artillery and one troop OF horses.
The officers shall be armed with q sword
or hanger, fusee, bayonet, and belt,
with q cartridge box to contain II cart.
ridges and each private shall furnish
himself with all the equipments of a
private in the infantry, until proper
ordnance and tield artillery is provided.
ho .,ao aA DHH of
OF horse shall furnish Themselves with
good horses OF at least 141a hands high,
and shall be armed with sword and
pair OF pistols. the holsters 10 be covered
with bear~skin caps. Each dragoon
shall furnish himself with q servicsable
horse at least l41a hands high, good
saddle, bride, mail.pillion and valise,
holsters and q breast-plate and crupper,
q pair of boots and spurs, o pair of
pistols, sabre. and q cartridge box, to
contain IL cartridges for pistols. These
troops shall be uniformly clothed in
regimentals, to be furnished at their own
expense, the color and fashion to be de-
termined by the brigadier commanding
the brigade to which they belong.
But yet more absurd, this law provides
that every citizen shall. after notice of
bis enrolment. be constantly provided
with good musket or fire-lock of q bore
sufficient for balls OF the eighteenth part
of q pound. sufficient bayonet and belt
two spare flints and q knapsack, q pouch
with box therein to contain not less
than "a cartridges, suited to the bore of
mis- musket or firelOck, each cartridge to
contain proper quantity of powder and
ball; or with good rifle, knapsack,
shot pouch and powder horn, 20 balls
suited to the bore OF his rifle and
quarter of q pound OF powder; and shall
appear, 90 armed, accoutered and pro-
vided, when called out to exercise, or
into service, except that when called out
on company days to exercise only, he
may appear without knApsack.
Elaborate provisions in detail are
made for enrolling, organizing, offering
and disciplining this force and calling
them forth into service.
Such, in brief, is the federal law gov
erning the militia. 1t has long since
grown obsolete. and the system it was
destined to establish and uphold has
gone to ruin. In consequence OF the
lack Of proper national legislation, each
state has set up military establish
ment OF its own, by virtue of it's original
inherent right to maintain q militia.
Fine bodies of troops these state forces
are to be sure, but they are not national
militia.
What is wanted now is the repeal of
the old militia law aud tbs enactment
OF one based upon the true relations be-
tween the militia and the general gov
ernment, and In thorough accord with
the epirit of the age aud the present
needs Of the nation.
In any great emergency the republic
must necessarily look mainly to the vol.
unteer forces for protection against hos-
tile operations by land. The regular
army is email and forms only nucleus
for the gathering of the military power
of tho country. The adjutant-genera of
the army in his annual report some
years ago, said: 'Itis upon the National
guard OF the several states that the de.
tense Of the country rests. Should an
invading force cross our borders or an
enemy land upon our defeneeless coasts.
1t is to the National guards of the states
that the commander-in>chiet must ap-
peal"
An organization occupying so promi-
nent q place in our system of national
defense should conform more nearly to
the original design of the constitution,
and be developed in future along feder-
al, rather than state lines. The present
and antiquated and effete militia laws in-
numbering the statute books of the
United States as so much rubbish,
should be totally abrogated and the sys.
tenn entirely readiusted by the enact
ment Of a comprehensive and thorough.
IL practical national militia law.
Rsformatory legislation should be de.
signed to secure the following principal
ends, viz:
l. The full assertion of the powers
of congress over the militia given by the
constitution,
2. The subjsction OF the militia of all
the states to ono sovereign federal law.
due regard being had TO the reserved
authority OF the several state 9 20 APP
point the officers and to train the troops
according to the discipline prescribed
by congress.
3. Uniformity in organization, in>
struction, discipline and armament.
4. Assumption by the federal gov
ernment OF the burden of maintenance.
The original design OF the founders of
the republic embraced these broad ma
tlonal purposes. They sought to give
the country uniform federal militia
system. Washington. in his letter to the
governors ia 1888, urged that the militia
throughout the union be placed on a
regular, uniform and efficient footing.
Jefferson in 1903 urged the importance
and indispensable necessity of vigorous
exertions on ths.part OF state govern
mente to carry into effect the militia