The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-22

ours as also have the cavalry and the
signal corps. 1t viii be remembered
that while the infantry and cavalry
have only the equipage OF the soldier
himself as an individual, this battery
in this city has four 32-inch HotchkiSS
breech-loading rapid firing guns, two
Gatlings, 30 sets of harness, saddles
and brides for on-commisSioned Of
fcers, blankets, canteens, haVersackS,
pistols, cups, knives, forks, in short a
complete field equipment. This prop
erty, ladies and gentlemen of the SEN
ate and house, does not belong to US,
it is yours and we have been taking
care of it for you. It is now in better
condition than when it was first given
US, but the clothes we have worn while
we were perfecting ourselves in its use
are a sad, sad sight.
In addition to this property, the bat
terry at Ogden has about $4,000 more,
all of which belongs to you. To sum
up, there is in Utah. the property of
the state, probably 10000 worth of
arms and equiDage. Just attempt to
store it in warehouses and the expense
VIII be three times as much as you
have ever given us for encourag cement.
Now let us reason together. To be-
gin with let us see if there is any ex-
cuse for a national guard. If there
is it should be a good one, because a
On looking over the states of the
Union we find there is a national guard
in every one, and that the legislatures
of these states make large appropria-
tons for the maintenance of the same.
Pennsylvania and New York probably
eXpend more than any others per man,
although Massachusetts and Ohio are
not far behind. In Pennsylvania the
appropriation each year per man is
nearly Sis. Make a proposition of
that kind in Utah and the Legislature
would fall in a fit.
But although the cost to the state of
Pennsylvania is enormous, amounting
to something like $500, 1000 per year. it
is cheap in the end The cost of build
ings destroyed in the troubles of 1877
cost the state many times that amount
and it was discovered that it was
great deal better for the state to
furnish its own police, for that is
what militia is in time of peace. than
to have to reimburse owners of private
property which has been destroyed.
No man can tell at what time trouble
will begin, and once begun, no man
can assert when it will end. It NAV
result III loss of life and much proper
ty unless promptly checked, and ex-
perience has demonstrated that it is
best held in check by an adequate mil
itary force Now I am not arguing in
FAVOR of a band of armed mercen-
aries to go out and shoot down the
poor laboringmen.' All that kind of
talk goes just before election, when one
wants to catch the labor vote. Every
member Of the military organization of
which 1 have the honor of being a
member is a working man himself
Everyone would demand his rights of
his employer; not one of them has
any desire to shoot a man for attempt
ing to better his condition, but every
mothers son of them is ready to do
his duty whenever one man or 1000
men attempt the unlawful destruction
of property or interfere with the lib
critics of other citizens. I think the
reasons for National Guard are so
apparent that I shall waste no more
time on that topic.
The report OF Lieutenant Lassiter,
Sixteenth infantry. on duty with the
national guard of Utah, detailed by the
United States government, which up to
date has displayed more interest in our
state troops than has Utah herself.
says of the strength of the guard. CThe
figures are Officially Strength, $50; viz:
general and staff, II; infantry, DC COM
paniesD. officers IS, enlisted $40; cavalry,
q troops). officers Z, enlisted so; artil-
lery, q light batterieS), officers s; en-