The morning call., 1895-03-01
THREE BRIGADIER- GENERALS AND
THEIR STAFFS TO BE
RETIRED.
SOME SWEEPING CHANGES.
THE NAVAL BATTALION Is TO BE
INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL
GUARD.

SACRAMENTO, FEB. 2S.-Ihree DrlgaQler-
generals and their staffs will mourn the
loss of their offices if the bill now pending
in the Assembly becomes law.
To day the Assembly adopted the
amendments to the acts relating to the
National Guard prepared by the Military
Committee. These reduce that organiza-
ton to a three brigade basis. The new
bill is to make the National Guard much
more compact organization than it is at
present. There are to be only sixty
companies, sixty of which are to be of
infantry and artillery, five of the Naval
Battahons, and the nature of the other four
to be at the discretion of the commander
in-chief. Not only does the bill make the
| Naval Battalions part of the Guard
but it establishes an elaborate scheme for
three signal corps.
| A dishonorable discharge was made to
disfranchise the soldier so discharged. No
body of civilians not of the National
Guard are to carry arms except members
of secret societies, who are allowed to use
swords.
| The number of honorary members of the
! National Guard is limited to ten for each
company, who are required to pay $50
year in the company to which they belong.
The changes are all in line with the new
army regulations. Under the old regula-
tions the colonel of regiment COM
manded his men. Under the new tactics
he performs, practically, the work of a
| rigadier-general, while his majors have
charge of battalions of from three to six
companies, and have their staffs as the
colonies had before.
| In this way concentration of power is
effected which greatly pleases the military
men all over the State. They claimed
! that -+a<zsros,,-s-a the national
Guard did away with the necessity for
more than one brigadier-general
This idea was advocated by Powers of
San Francisco, McKelvey of Orange and
Osborn of Santa Clara, all of whom are
intensely interested in military affairs.
students of military science, practical SOL
diers and members of the Military Com
mittee. The bill reported recommended
three brigades, though, and was accepted
Powers moved a reconsideration of all
those amendments that pat the three
brigade idea into active effect. He urged
that the one-brigade formation was more
symmetrical and more in accordance with
the basis of the new regulations. 1t would
better the service by making it possible for
the identity of the man to be sunk in the
soldier. He argued that the men above
the rank of major should be expert mill
| tary men. The commands should be
made so compact and serviceable that in
times of war they could be turned over to
regular army officers.
Cutter of Yuba asked if the policy he
advocated was not inspired by desire of
| the San Francisco brigadier-generals to
monopolize all the gold lace for that town.
"On the contrary" Powers replied; ''all
the San Francisco brigadiers are against it,
| The line officers are the ones who favor it.
These officers are the men who suffered
from having a plethora of generals when
the troops were called into active service,
and they are the ones who urge change"
Powers spoke of the events of last July
He showed that General Dimond and his
staff had received $2663 SO in pay; General
Dickinson, $198S OF; General Muller,
1909 64, and General Sheehan, 1887 Sc,
making a total of S73S8 66. He had moth
ing to say against the officers. Major
General Dimond he considered one of the
ablest tacticians and military men the Ma
tional Guard had ever produced. But he
did object to the cumbrous and involved
system that made use OF so many unneces-
sary officers.
Osborn, the chairman of the Military
Committee, explained that he had con-
suited with the Senate committee. That
committee had agreed to certain changes
his committee had demanded, but had in
sisted upon a three-brigade formation,
yielding the point of four brigades they
had first demanded. The briefness of the
time remaining for legislation influenced
him to urge the passage of the bill in its
present form rather than risk the chance
of not effecting any change at all by too
long contest.
The motion for reconsideration was then
voted down. The bill as it now stands is
exactly what the line officers of San Fran
cisco contended for, with the exception
that there are two brigadier-g generals whom
they will consider as largely ornamental
and political. The three acknowledgements
who have lost their places will, with their
staffs, be retired. This will enable them
to keep their titles and wear their uni
forms the rest of their lives.
THE SCALPERS' BILL.
Anended In the Assembly Until Bereft OF