The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-02-22
RANK OF OFFICERS.

GlHeu ny lue ldNS, uSdSeS anu CUSTOMS
applicable to the regular army of the
United States.
RANK OF OFFICERS.
Section 10. That all officers of the
National Guard Of the United States
shall, during their term of service, take
rank according to their commissions.
and together with enlisted men shall
be exempt from liability to draft for
service in the army or navy of the
United States. and every man who has
served a period of five years in the Ma
tional Guard and received an honor
able discharge shall thereafter be eX-
empt from liability to draft for service
in the army or navy of the United
States, until all other able bodied men
within their respective states or terri
tories or the District of Columbia, of
prescribed age, have been drafted.
Section H. There is hereby appropri-
ated from any funds in the treasury not
otherwise appropriated, the sum of
twenty million dollars, for the purpose
of carrying out the objects of this bill,
which shall be disbursed through the
proper accounting offices of the gov
ernment in the usual way.
Section Is. That all acts or parts Of
acts inconsistent herewith be and the
same are hereby repealed.
The bill was drafted by Colonel f.
l.. Hitchcock, assisted by Colonel IL.
NJ. Boies, Colonel L. II. Ripple, Colonel
George Sanderson. Colonel J.. A. Wa
tres, Colonel Herman Osthaus, Car
tain James Moir and Captain W. 4
May.
They also drafted a circular setting
forth the scope and purpose of the bin
and presenting arguments TO meet any
possible objections that might be
raised 20 it.
In a resume of the bill its chief oh
iects are briefly set forth as follows:
First--To provide an efficient auxiliary
reserve, constantly ready for service IN
emergencies.
Second-To educate the young men of
the country In the military art; in the use
of modern arms of precision, and give
them practical eXTt rienCe i'm camp ana on
the march.
Third-TO provide a corps Of officers,
general and staff from the regular army
and from civil life, who shall he educated
by actual experience in the art of u.ing,
maneuvering, supplying and caring for
large bodies Of troops.
FOurth-To secure the maintenance Of
an adequate supply Of arms, ammunition.
and all necessary equipment IN readiness
for emergencies.
Fifth--To give experience In selecting
camp sites, and test the capacity of IaIl-
roads to transport large bodies of troops
with speed and comfort
SiXth-To save the otherwise necessary
cost OF maintaining at least 1900 more
men i'm the regular army,
Seventh-To 80 develop our reserve
strength as TO insure us against rpr-
eign aggression, and thus give us a guar
anty Of peace and TO to add another po-
tent argument i'm support Of the cars
proposal for "A general disarmament.
Eighth-Finally: TO save the thou
sands of lives ana the other thousands Of
shattered constitutions Of cur brave soas,
and the hundreds Of millions of dollars
heretofore wasted by ineXperience and
want of preparation every time the ma
ton is called TO war.
There is no question, Colonel Hitch
cock says, Of its constitutlonality ana
every military man To whom it has
been submitted, including the COVER
nors of several states. have spoken