The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-31

service tney invariably returned to their
posluon IN the national guard more efficient
'haH pelofe' Never heretofore have its off,
GERS and men, when called upon to perform
the duty for which their training of years
is and is intended to be a PREPARATION. been
presented by the governor of their state
Win the alternative of losing their positions
~ lhe hatlonal guard or of staying at home.
Inc governor of Minnesota states that he
pieSenteu such alternative to the officers of
the Twelfth, Thirteenth and Fourteenth
minnesota volunteers, and, with two or three
exceptions they obeyed their patriotic i'm
pulse 10 serve their country in its hour of
neeo al the risk Of their places in the guard,
Livery Heio omcer and every line officer of
Tue Ten Original companies of the Thirteenth
minnesota volunteers, and nearly all it's non
commissioned officers have served faithfully
LOT years. 1t was this fact, with the char
acter of its men, which has given if so
hish standing and has caused it to fight
at least as well as the regulars at Manila,
Undoubtedly had the test of battle been an
piiea 10 the Twelfth and Fourteenth Mime
sota regiments they would have equally
Slo"h the advantage Of discipline and ex-
Perience. III their officers had been personal
ana political inexperienced appointees of the
governor the result might have been differ
ent.
me present and previous wars have fully
satished the people that good politicians do
not always make good soldiers.
The governor has posftiyely stated Tn tbe
writer ana others that it was his intention
10 muster out or discharge from the service
all the existing regiments. In his state
ments In your issue of this morning and
elsewhere he qualities this declaration.
Inc military code of this state gives no
aulhorlty for such action. It's provisions
apparently apply only to discharges of indi-
Viuual o1ncers and men for offenses COM
illtted ana established on trial by court
martial, or for the good of the service"
ne code also establishes and provides for
Tue hlaintenance of three regiments of infan-
ny Try, oesioes other organizations. No ma
LioHai guard regiment in the United States
has nerelofofe been discharged from the
STATE service because it, in whole or part
noIuhLeered on the call Of the president and
governor wish to establish the precedent
ana reward our boys" for patriotism and
yalor by discharge from service in which
they desire to remain and have taken nride
ana nave SHOWN themselves so proficient?
The state of Minnesota, in common with
other states, in order to encourage it's Young
men 10 remain in its guard for long terms,
awards a service medal to those who have
served for ten, fifteen and twenty years. re-
specCVeiy The personnel of the guard is
constantly changing. There is always an
form its hard work to engage in it, and. if
he shows himself a good soldier, attain it's
honor Too frequent changes in the guard
detract from its efficiency. It is the policy
OF the general government and of all the
states TO retain their soldiers in the service as
long as possible in order to secure the bene-
III or that experience and knowledge which
our governor values so little
The service is no picnic. 1t involves hard
labor, imposes unpleasant restrictions and
considerable expenditures which only the
most actiVe and patriotic young men who
nave the military spirit are willing to incur.
II mas required constant labor and watch
fulness by experienced officers to mIntain
the numbers and discipline of the COM
Minnesota. 1t is not through "fayoritism''
or ''petting'' that the Minnesota national
guard has acquired and maintained the
standing and experience which has enabled
1t to so creditably represent the state in the
camp and upon the battlefield.
Shall the state of Minnesota lose the bene-
lit of all this and of the experience of its
regiments in actual warfare, together with
the esprit du corps which will retain a
large part of their present membership in the
ranks and attract new members?
Our governor has been misled by the eager
ness OF many to secure military honor and
emoluments during times of actual warfare
to believe that there will be an equal desire
to enter the reorganized national guard, If
he should muster out the old.
1t undoubtedly will be the policy of the
general and state governments to greatly
increase the numbers and efficiency of the
national guard Of the respective states The
need of this has been fully recognized hv
the difference in time of enrolment of our
first three regiments and that of the fourth.
Within three days after their call the First.
Second and Third regiments had nearly
4000 men in camp with full complement
of experienced officers ready and waiting to
be mustered in. 1t necessarily took much
longer to assemble the fourth regiment al
though its colonel and lieutenant colonel were
trained soldiers. The material doubtless is
as good; but it still lacks the discipline and
experience of the old.
Our military code provides for an addi-
tional organization ''in time of war, insur-
rection or INVASION" Let that be made IL
necessary, or adopt some temporary meas
ure; but do not discharge the "old guard"
when they are not here to defend them
selves. E. S. Chittenden
President Veteran National Guard Associa-
ton.
ST Paul Aup