The San Francisco call., 1897-02-08
SACRAMENTO, Dec. is, 1896.

SACRAMENTO, Dec. 10, 1886.
General II. 4. ALliRe, Adjutdnt- General of
Ohio, Co uBI6uS Ohio-SIR: Replying 10 your
letter of the 10th inst. relative as to what the
United States Government should do in the
purpose OF assisting the several States in
maintaining its National Guard will brief1y
sta e my views in the matter:
Flrst-The National Guard of the different
States are practically to-day the standing army
OF the Government, and should trouble arise
with any foreign nation they would be the
nucleus OF the army OF this country, and
therefore | claim that it is but just that this
Government should furnish to all of the States
modern and uniform arms and equipments so
that all States would be equipped alike; as the
condition of the National Guard of the differ
ent States now stands no two States are
equipped the same and in case of war there
would be a d Inference OF arms, eouipments
rules and regulations.
am firm believer, so far as possible, in the
principle that all officers aud men should be
schooled and disc plined in the rules and
regulations as adopted by the United States
Government, SO that if the time should ever
occur that the troops from different States
should be called together they would all be
accustomed 10 the same rules and re gulations
and practices.
do not think that the United States Gov
ernment at the present time is sppropriating
Its pro rata expense of maintaining the Ma
tional Guard OF the different States. For illus
tratlon, the State OF California eXpends nnnu-
ally about the sum OF $3.50, 900 on its National
Guard ana the United States Government only
allots to this State ST700.
Second-I believe the amount should be so
increased that in addition to furnishing the
proper arms and equipments TO the States, the
United States should pay N annual per diem
OF 81 TO each member of the National Guard
for a ten days encampment for the purpose oI
drills and instructions. Such encampment
should be thoroughly inspected ami Instructed
by a competent officer of the regular army
In this Stale the mem bers of the National
Guard assemble for the purpose OF drills, pa
rades and target practice on an average OF
about fifty times year. This is done entirely
without compensati tion, but for pure and pa
triotic motives, and believe that the Govern
ment should pay for camp of instructions
once a year, and ! am satisfied that il would
be an incentive to- all National Guardsmen
which would be highly appreciated and would
be beneficial TO this Government, and result
in having q National Guard which when
called upon, would compose an army of which
the people OF this country would feel Justly
proud; and believe that Congress should ap-
propriate, annually, the sum OF at least
S3,OO0,0 200, TO be distributed to the different
States pro rata, in accordance with the num-
ber OF National Guardsmen they may have
and fee assured that the people of this coun-
try would be exceedingly gratifed to know
that their money was thus expended.
| shall take great pleasure in cooperating
with you in any measures that may be for the
best interests OF the National Guard lam
very respectfully, A. w. BARRETT
Ad djutant-General