The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-18
NEW PLANSFOR THEGUARD
ONE ESTSA PERMANENT STATE
MILITARY CoMMAyD.
The National Guard In Oue DtSIsisn vita HEAD
quarters In This CitJ-GoveFnor's star to ne
Purely Psrfunctory and Its members Re-
duced In Rank-Siews OF Military Men-

TOT q long time OF the desirabiuty OF having q
permanent military commander for the forces
OF the: State, and a number OF plans for this
a We been advanced. Having q permanent
Adjutant-Genera was the drst suggestion The
.4rplV and Nary Journal OF to-day sets forth q
new plan which, it asserts. does away with the
objections that have been urged against those
heretofore proposed. 1t says:
AT the last meeting Of the National Guard
Association at Albany the subject OF the reor.
ganizatton OF the National Guard was discussed
by the officers, but the matter was not brought
before the convention. At that time two
plans were suggested. One was for the forma-
tion OF a division and the appointment OF q
Maior-General with headquarters at Albany.
The Maior-General. so appointed. with his stan
to be the permanent stat Of the Governor.
Each member Of the stan to receive a salary,
the same as received by officers OF similar rank
In the United States Army. The second plan
proposed was TO divide the National Guard into
two divisions, the headquarters of one division
to be in New York and to be composed Of the
First and Second brisades: the second division
to have headquarters at Albany or Buffalo and
to be composed OF the Third and Fourth bri.
gades.
The first plan" the Journal says, was
strongly opposed by nearly all the commanding
officers OF the First and Second briSades on the
ground that the efficiency and esprit of the Ma
tional Guard would De lost IL the commanding
officer and members OF his stan were to re-
ceive compensation. and that the salaries Of
The Major-Genera and the members Of the
staff would be such a considerable sum that
the appointments Of the stan officers would be
controlled by politics, and on the further ground
that the compensation thai might be paid would
be insufficient to obtain the services OF the
FtfNgf Hnss-RkGa rv,, ~ h,T, -N,. g. st.
to reside in Albany. The second plan was
much criticised and strongly or posed on the
ground that The practical command OF the state
troops would still remain with the Governor
and his staff, and that orders OF detail for camp
and for other duties would enanate from state
headquarters."
The plan now brought forward is as follows:
That the National Guard OF the State should
be Organized into one division and be command
ed by a Major-General, who should be elected
by the brigade commanders and the ommand
ing officers otregimsnts and who should have his
headquarters in the city OF New York That
the Malor+ienerA and his staff should serve
without compens alton. To meet the criticism
that volunteer oticers would be unable to give
the necessary time to perform the duties Of the
several stan departments, 1t is proposed that
the Maior-General should have the power to ap-
point or detail an assistant in the departments
OF the Adiutant-GeneraI OF inspection, and OF
ride practice. That the assistants in these three
departments should be entitled to receive COM
pensation- That the M~aior-General have au-
thorlty TO appoint such assistants in these sew
eraI deoartments from the regular army or APP
point or detail officers % the National Guard.
1t is believed that officers OF the United States
Army would be more than willing to be appoint.
ed as assistants upon the division stat and TO
give their entire time to their duties on account
Of the compensation they would receive in
addition TO their salary in the United States
Army. Should the Major-General deem it
more desirable 10 make. details from the Ma
tional Guard Of the state to Ill these Positions
IN the three Departmental, most desirable men
could always be obtained. and so long as these
men received compensation they would not bs
members OF tie division staf. but would be
assistants in the departments 20 which they
were detailed, and If other assistance was Rec
essarv. other details could De made"
In commenting upon this proposal the Army
and Nary Journal says:
such a plan as this would put the entire
National Guard in charge Of one officer. who
would receive no compensation and would
have had ex perlence IN the National Guard, and
the appointments 10 tina division and brigade
staff. should Dc !iasted 20 persoEs who mad
held = commission in the Sa,iOAA Guard. This
plan would also permit regular annual inspec-
ZION. under the direction Of the DIVISION com
rla16er. in the Ad1utantGenerays depart
;asnt. inspection department, and in the de-
pA-tment OF rife practice The expenditure
Of tie appropriation for the National Guard
~ 1at S sns safLlFsH ssa af.6 ;As 6tsS5S1 q rb sas
the members OF the Governors STAFF should be
staf should ba redGcef 20 one AdjutanE-Gen-
era! Of Ike grade Of Brgat.er-GeaeraI, who
shall be the :ch!et Of STAT oue CHIEF Of ord.
nance. and one Judge AtTocate-GeneraL, each
Of the grade OF Colonel, ami four aiies-da
camp. each Of tie grade Of Lleu:enant-ColoneI.
The tT-es performed by the different de.
partueuts u the National Guard as now or.
sanEed should be consolidated into these three
daCartments. and tn Governor should be AN.
thort,ed 70 appoint only one assistant IN each
department with rank u Colonel.
and what other assistance was necessary
the National Guard. With such an orxanlza-
zion. al details Tor camp should be made By
s sfs slalp To- tSs ttHts aan q he could IA esRs: ,,1 tioa
or br;gpte encampments or brigade or rex.
mental marches, as be should deem desirable.
Of the division in New York city Is very obvi-
oun. The Headquarters would be where three
Tor the position OF Maior-General would be
found among men who had had experience In
commanding troops where there had been
brigade and division formations and where the
most available men IN every respect could al
Brig Gsu-sLouis Fitzgerald said Of the plan:
I most cordially approve OF the suggestion
that The National GUARD should De formed
into q division ana thAL lLS commander should
serve like all line officers without pay. / also
approve tho plan Of having assistants N the de-
plrtments OF the Acknowledgement, Inspector.
General, and Rihe Inspector. taken from the
regular army or National Guard. with pay II
necessary.
PERSONALLY. I have taken my duties IN the
National Guard very seriously, my experience
having taught me IL value 10 the State ard he
| grave responsibilities Of its commanding obi.
Ger. / am, however. and have been for some
time. ready to retire as soon as | can be as
sured OF leaving the Guard so organized that
its efficiency will be maintained and its per.
mansncy secured by eliminating from it all
political considerations and personal influences.
| have deprecated the too great attention gwen
To the National Guard by the press, bur have
| found IL impossible to overcome that factor, for
the reason that the Guard enlisted from the
people carriss, with 1t the affection and interest
OF the people because OF their personal relation
TO 10, and the prees, eager 10 relate all and
| every incident that Is Of Interest 10 the people.
| sometimes oy excess OF zeal publishes matters
nr gives a cOlorins 10 them that lad better Ia
tho general interest be left TO their own solu-
ton.
'As the State grows in population ana i'm
portance, the National Guard will naturally
grow in proportion, and as IL IL purely a yoiun:
teer organization, its growth and strength will
depend upun the popularity and wisdom Of its