The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-03
THE INDIANA LEGION
COMPARES FAyORABLY IN DIsCI-
PINE, But LACKS EQUIPMENT.
Not Prepared for q Winter Campaign,
and Could Not Combat n
Large Strike Now.

TIL recent strike Of the street-railway
employees in Brooklyn, necessitating the
ordering out of the New York National
Guard, is again calling before the minds of
the people the condition of the Indiana
militia. Information concerning the work
of the New York grtar I'd has recently been
received here through the correspondence of
a gentleman who has at times been more
or less closely corrected with the Indiana
Infantry Legion, an. who was in Brooklyn
during the recent troubles.
The members of the guard had practically
no information that they would be called
out untils the order was issued on Sunday
evening. The order was sent from the
headquarters Of the First Brigade, located
in New York city. to the armory of the
Seventy-irst Regiment, and within a very
few hours 80 per cent. of the members of
the regiment had reported for duty. All the
materials needed were in store in the
armory, and the men, whenever or wherever
they received the order, reported directly
to the armory, and were not allowed to waste
any time in going to their homes. The
equipment of the regiment was complete,
and when the soldiers marched away they
were prepared for a three years campaign,
if such should prove necessary. In this
alone Is the comparison made by this gentle
man of the New York National Guard and
the Indiana Legion, drawn to the latter's
detriment.
The response of the New York guard
TO the call was in no wise more prompt than
that of the Indiana Legion on the occasion
OF the two calls made last summer to quell
the riots attending the miners and rail-
readers strikes, nor We're the duties re-
cult or more efficiently performed than were
those of the soldiers of the Indiana Legion.
In TACT, he says. the education of the Indi-
ana Legion in the military code. and its
ability to carry on a lengthy campaign, is
entirely equal if not superior to the New
York guard. First Lieutenant T. NJ. De-
frees, Fifth United States Infantry, the
regular army officer assigned to duty with
the Indiana Legion, says in his report to the
legion as to competency ana soldierly bear
ing. is excellent. The discipline of the
legion is cornmendable."
In the matter of equipment alone, then, it
Is Claimed, is the Indiana legion deficient.
It is said that should the call which was
issued In New York a few days ago be made
IN Indiana at present it would be a physical
impossibility for the troops to respond, no
mater matte - now wiling or how capable they
Even though the service rendered last sum-
mer was IN the heat of the year, yet many
hardships were endured by the soldier boys,
which would have been missing il the
legion had been properly equipped. AT
times the nights We're 50 chilly as to make
IL necessary for the guards to wear ever
coats, and of these the legion has COM
paratively few. On several occasions the
rain fell in torrents the entire night, and
Some of the guards We're compelled to be out
Tor two hours, entirely unprotected. There
We're scarcely enough coats to supply one
the men would receive the coats worn by
their predecessors.
a call be made for the troops at present,
they would much resemble the appearance
Of our forefathers in the war of the revolu-
uoE. when some wore all colors and kinds
OF clothes. and some were almost without
any clothes at all. 1t is also claimed that
the blankets and tents of the Indiana
Legion are old and badly worn. and are in
sufficient to supply even a small part of
The appropriation for the use of the
legion has only been sS7, eco a year. There
has been an of only $40 a month
to each company for the rent of armorieS,
which has made it necessary for most of the
companies to make ar additional assess
ment on the members to pay the rent.
Michigan has isis members in its militia
and the appropriation is $73, 2S6; Indiana has
2.5Sl members and an appropriation of only
So. 00. Michigan's militia much resembles In
diana's organization, but the appropriation
in Michigan is over twice as much for each
man.
1t is impossible to estimate the appropria-
ton for the New York National Guard.
There has been a. special appropriation of
$1,000 0 to be used in two years, for the
purchase of field equipments. and the an
nual appropriation is SiO0, 600. In addition to
ciie purposes. In ali but eight or ten towns
in New York where companies are located
will be found large armories. These are
mostly built by the State, the counties fur
nishing the land whereon the armories are
built. 1t is said that the armorv of the Sew
enty-irst Regiment, in New York city, is
a more handsome and expensive building
than any in the city of Indianapolis. out
side of the public buildings. The structure
was built at the expense of the city of
New York. Besides the State appropriations
the National Guard of New York receives
a national appropriation of SS1.37S.35.
The following table gives a fair conception
of the condition of militia organizations in
the principal States, and shows that Indi-
ara's appropriation has been almost one
half less for each man than that of any
other State:
No. of Men. Appropriation. Per Cap.
California ....3,21S S156.5IS S37.1