The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-01-15
THE SALT LAKE HERALD, FRIDAY. JANUARY is, 1897

code is made in this. that general
court-martial shall consist of from
three TO five officers, instead of - or
ID, as formerly provided, much better
plan than the old
These courts have power to impose
fines for non-attendance at drills, and
TO collect the same, the warrant OF
execution being directed to the sheriff,
who shall cause the same to be salts
fed. The president of the court-mar-
tial has power TO issue subpoenas to
| compel the attendance of witnesses and
to compel witnesses to be sworn, to
testify and TO preserve order as courts
of common law jurisdiction, and all
sheriffs, bailiffs and constables are
compelled to execute any precept or
process issued by the president Of the
court for such purpose. Witness re-
fusing to obey summons or refusing
| to testify shall be fined in sum not
less than SO nor more than $50, and
in default OF payment may be lmpr1s-
oned. All sheriffs and keepers of jails
are TO receive all prisoners convicted
of offenses by a military court.
In another section of the bill, COM
panies, troops and batteries are given
the right to make bylaws for the gov
eminent of their respective organiza-
tions, in which the penalties for nom
attendance at drills. parades and in
spections. are to be prescribed.
@ g @
That there will be objections TO this
bill is certain, but they should be care
fully weighed ere they are permitted
to change opinion. In the first place
no man is compelled to join the Ma
tiCnal Guard. He enters of his own free
will and accord and when enlisted
should keep the promises he makes in
n ms 10 "a iC thnrOTIOhlx7 In
formed of the objects and the penalties
for refusing to obey the laws ere he be-
comes a member. Under this bill those
who are now members and those who
will enlist ere the companies, troops
and batteries formulate their bylaws,
approval of the chief
ere they are valid, have part in the
formulation of the same and viii be
enabled to see that they are not OPP
pressive. In fact no one wishes to
make them oppressive. After the SOL
der enlistS it is essential that he at
tend drills regularly that regularity in
the course of instruction be secured
and that the uniformity of movement
be preserved. If he is a good man he
will do so; if on the contrary he is a
man who has enlisted for the purpose
of obtaining a little self aggrandiZe-
ment, he should be compelled to earn
the same and not share in the bene-
fits of others who do the work while
he is practically idle. There is no
doubt that some members will object TO
a system of fines because they be-
lieve man should not be fined for not
attending drill; he may be sick, have
a business engagement, be absent from
the city and all that sort of thing. 1t
must be remembered that the advance
ment of an argument of this kind will
be no reason at all, why the bill should
not pass, as such excuses are always
considered valid. 1t is not desired by
any member of the guard that the laws
should be oppressive and in this par
ticular it should be borne in mind that
ii operates with equal force on the Off
GERS and enlisted men. The shoulder
strap is as liable TO the penalty as the
chevron and the non-com shares alike
with the private.
The law should pass as this bill lays
it down with few slight changes.
Then the guard will be a credit to the
state and itself MARS.