New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-05

by each party OF the Just rights Of the other,
strikes and lockouts may yield 70 wiser ana
more peaceful measures.
THE NATIONAL GUARD
The National Guard Of this State requires es-
racial attention. During the last year the Guaro
was suddenly called upon 10 supply dehciehcies
in our scheme Of National defence. due 70 the
very small size OF our Regular Army. when was
and is. totally inadequate 70 the necessities OF
the nation admirable though the Army itsei :
in quality The emergency was SO sudden as TO
necessitate the calling out Of the men ~ the
National Guard regiments the time TO raise
and discipline ordinary volunteer regiments De-
ing lacking. II is much to be hoped that some
we'll thought out plan may be ADOPTED py the
National Government for the use OF the Guard
IN eny future war II would probably prove
wisest 10 order out the Guard for use IN the
United States thus freeing the Regular Army FOR
any expedition. at the same time calling for VOL
unteer regiments into which those guardsmen
who wished might go; then. when the volunteer
force proper had been put In fair condition. the
Guard could be ordered home In other words.
the Guard should be used as il was in the civil
War. and should not be called out for foreign
service The identity Of each organization OF
the Guard should be preserved.
This calling out Of the Guard 10 DO the WORK
which should have been done by the Regulars
and by special volunteer organizations caused
great hardship. and has resulted In rucn tenn
porary disorganization In the Guard itseli Inc
work which the National Guardsmen ought nor
nally To perform differs entirely from tnat eH-
pected from Regulars. All men who are admit
ted 10 the National Guard should be physlcaHy
and morally fl for any soldiery duty. but there
are many men who do invaluable service In the
Guard who ought not 10 be called upon 70 SCI =
In long campaigns. unless there is urgent need
For instance. a large number Of our most use
full guardsmen who gladly give their service 20
the State are men Of small means, business men
mechanics, clerks and laborers. with famlles
who are dependent upon their exertions. Ut
binary service in the Guard does not interfere
in the least with these mems work. and absence
from their work for few weeks 10 meet spS
cial emergency does not cause any great hard
ship: but absence on a long campaign means the
actual loss OF the Job with delay In securing
another after the return This causes wide
spread suffering and hardship. II Is right TO
ask them 10 perform a short term Of duty. but
not a long term and the dissemination 10 ENLIST
FOR long term should not be held 70 In any
way reflect on them. II the country needs the
services even Of men with families. then. what
ever the individual suffering. the service snould
be freely given. but where the necessity can pe
met by enlisting some Of the tens OF thousands
Of young unmarried men who are eager 70 vol
unteer II IS pity 70 employ men VINO can De
Ill spared
The Guard gave conclusive PROOF OF lle pdllio'
ism BY the quickness with which II sought the
chance 70 60 10 the war. NeW-York has right
70 be proud Of the way IN which her citizen SOL
diers sought opportunity 70 get TO the 1ront,
and an equal need OF praise attaches 70 those
who were fortunate enough 70 cross the seas
and 70 those equally devoted and equally patri-
otto. but less fortunate. soldiers 70 whom fel tne
harder task Of waiting in camps on American
soil through the weary months for the call 70 &C
ton which never came. The volunteers the Ma
tional Guardsmen. not only OF NewYork, but Of
tol harra ny 10
response 70 the country's call the right 70 full
Justice 10 full recognition Of their services by
National and State government alike.
Many OF the troops who volunteered gladly Tor
the emergency now that the war is over are
most anxious to return. That they are not all .,
them able to return is due 70 the utterly made
quat. size OF our Regular Army. II our Regu-
lar Army is as It should be. increased 10 one
hundred thousand men. the hard necessity or re-
tanning in the service the volunteer organiza-
tons which ought not be retained viii disap-
pear 40.
very wise act OF the last Legislature has
for the first time put the organization OF the
Guard In this State on proper footing. We
now have a Major-General who Is in fact, and
not merely IN name. the head Of the National
Guard The Adtutant-Gereral Is 70 work In con-
junction with him: he Is not IN independent Off
more than deliver the orders az the Governor
and act his representative. The Major-Gen-
eral has the power and he should be given every
possible facility for the exercise Of this power
II he fails 10 do his duty, or fails 70 bring the
Guard UP 10 the proper pitch 81 efficiency, he
should be removed and another put In his place
but 50 long as ne is in Office he must be given 2
free hand In other words. he must be given
full power so that the responsibility cen be
settled upon. him and then he should be held re-
sponsble FOR the exercise Of this power and re-
sponsibiity.
call your especial attention 70 the arms OF
the Guard. The lamentabe result % keeping the
Guard armed with archaic weapons utterly unfit
FOR modern warfare was shown very conclu-
sively In the late contest with Spain II is an
under-staternenr Of the case 70 say that a single
frst-class regiment armed with the Krag-J6rgen-
sen Is worth three regiments armed with a low
powder sinele-shOt. black powder piece like the
Springfield. The National Guard should be
armed with a small-calibre, high-power rife
preferably that used by the Regular Army. Ir
any event the cartridge should be the same
The last point is Of the utmost importance. Al
the lighting forces Of this country should use the
same ca fridge II Is a great mistake for the
Army and Navy 70 use different rifles. but II IS
an even greater mistake for the Army and The
National Guard 70 use different rifles.
The Springfield musket as a modern arm ha:
two drawbacks. First owing 70 the limited
range IL IL OF small value against foe armed
with high power repeating rifles. Second. OWNS
10 the black powder IL is source II utmost
danger 10 whoever uses H. the smoke that #
makes serves az target and the body OF ner
using II Immediately become the object ~ al
the hostile fire from every part Of the field with
IN range This shown not merely by the ex
rarience 81 the National Guard in Cuba but by
The experience 81 the Regular artillery which
also had black-povder wea pons and which suf
ferei In consequence. exactly az the Guard did
II has been proposed az a remedy 70 supply
smokeless powder for the present weapon II &
doubtful whether OF not this could be done bu
- done IL would merely render the weapon lest
dangerous 70 the user without rendering II muci
more formidable n the foe Any such half
measure would be a failure our Nationa
Guardsuen are entitled 70 the best type o
weapon In a riot they could probably do tn
hest work with shotCuns. but we must hav'
riff lhO rc
,vna and should take the same cartridge tina
is rised bv the United States Regular troops.
The regir1ental hospital corps should be KEEP
Up and encouraged. The war Win spain ha
Gerons-rated the necessity % tho reginn n a
hospital
-rhs Red Cross and kindred organizations hav
done admirable work for our soldiers during IN
summer lust past The Red Cross should
he the right hand Of the medical depart
noant ~ the Army in peace and war. for evei
| thA best medical department will always nee'