The record-union., 1896-12-23

and ardent supporter in its behalf
Having served many years i'm this con-
| nection, you are thoroughly in SYM
pathy with it and its needs.
/ To all the officers of the National
Guard Of the State I wish to extend
my hearty and warmest thanks for the
many cCurteses and favors shown me
while l have, in my humble way, been
trying to work for what | have consid-
cred the best interests of the National
Guard of California. The duty, some
| times, has not been a pleasant one to
me- In the matter of organization,
many things have become necessary to
do which could not please all parties
concerned. In this report 1 wish to
commend to your favorable considera-
ton all officers and members Of the Ma
tional Guard of this State, for the true
and patriotic manner in which they are
striving to discharge the duties in
volved upon them as National Guards
men.
| Since the reorganization of the Ma
tional Guard it is in much better con-
dition and more thoroughly equipped
| and will be more efficient should the
time come when they are needed for
active service, and l am satisfied that
the National Guard will be able to take
care of and suppress any outbreak that
might occur
RECOMMENDATIO
| First would recommend that the
statutes regulating the National Guard
of California be amended by the Code
| Commission in their report, so that it
will not be necessary to introduce add
tiCnal bills to the Legislature; and in
| that connection l would state that 1 am
preparing, and having prepared, by
competent officers, recommendations to
the commission for that purpose
Second-I would recommend that the
| laws ard regulations relative to the
naval militia be SO amended as to cor
respond, as nearly as possible, to those
Of the United States navy
Third would recommend the pur-
chase of 1000 new uniforms for the
National Guard, 400 pairs of blankets
and o,loO overcoats, at a cost of sos, 100.
FOURTH would recommend that br
gade, regimental or battalion encamp-
ments be held ten days in each year,
and that the sum of $4,000 be appro-
| priated for the encampment purposes
for the years 1897 and 1893.
| Eifth-That the appropriation for ar
| mory rents and other incidental ex-
perses be paid per capita to the COM
pany, not exceeding 500 per company,
| and that all moneys should be paid
| through the Paymaster's Department.
| SiXth-That the State build and own
its own armomes in the cities of San
| Francisco Los Angeles, Oakland and
| Sacramento, and such other places
| where there may be two or more COM
| panieS located, as the amount that is
now being paid for rents would much
| more than pay the interest upon the
| bonds required to build the armOrfeS
and the National Guard would have
| much better equipped and more COM
modious armOries. Under the present
! system of armorieS neither the arms
nor other property Of the State is safe
| from the attack of any mob as in many
cases, all that is necessary to be done
to procure the State arms is to break
in a window, walk in and help them
! selves
| Seventh-That a special Act be passed
| placing on the retired list all officers
who have served five years or more in
the National Guard and lost commands
| by reason Of the reorganization in 1895.
| Many of these officers have SeVed faith
fully in the National Guard and it was
by no fault of theirs that they lost their
| commands, and | think that they are
entitled to be placed on the retired
| list"
| Eighth-That the laws and regula-
| tions governing target practice be so
| changed that the guard shall parade
| only once a year for target practice
| that companies be required to have
| monthly shoots and that all men OBJ
| tanning a certain percentage, as may be
prescribed by the rules and regulations,
| be entitled to compete for State decora-
| tion.
| NINTH would most Respectfully
recommend that there be made an ap-
preparation Of 50 1000 by the next Legis-
! lature as a special fund, from which
funeral expenses of State officials and
| National Guard officers can be paid
Within a period of one year the Ma
tional Guard of this State have been
called upon to parade at four funerals:
namely Lieutenant-G Governor Spencer
G. Millard Governor Jones of Nevada
| General John McComb, retired, and
Major General w. H. Dimond and
there was no fund from which any of
these expenses could be paid, therefore
| creating deficiency, and [ think that
there should be a special fund from
which the Governor would be allowed
to draw to pay these expenses.
| TENTH most urgently recommend
that the sum of 81 800 be appropriated
by the next Legislature to the Adju-
ttant-GeneraPs office, for the purpose of
defraying the expense of copying the
records of the California volunteers
| during the war of the rebellion. 1S61-66