The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-19

able to the omcers and men of the army.
 The last report of the Secretary oi
 War to the President gives the numoei of officers and men of the regular hrmy at so,1sS. of whom 46.462 are located Tn this county, 12,317 in the Pnlippfnes
 1,042 in Alaska, 216 in HaWah, Loo Tn
 China and ten in Porto Rico. The re-
 hort. speaking of the National Guard,
 contains this paragraph, which will prove of great interest to the militia:
 sTt is gratifying to be able to report, says the Secretary, that very satis- factory progress has been made toward bringing the organized. militia. of the several States ahd Territories to a con- dition equal to that of the Regular Army, respecting armament and equip ment. Officers of both services have cheerfully and effectively co-operated | in meeting the requirements of the new | law, both in letter. and in spirit, and their combined efforts to bring the militia up to the high standard of the army in discipline and instruction are meeting with excellent results
 The strength of the organized mili- | tia of the United States on October 1, 1904. including officers of every rank and grade was l15,937. Of these 6.557 | were located in Illinois and 1S,70S in
 New York. It is announced that the National Guard from many States is going to at- tend the inauguration of President Roosevelt on March 1, next, but 1t is noticeable that there does not appear an organization from the South that desires to go. It is two months yet
 and 1t may be that a company here and there may attend. The main reason is the lack of funds for it is certain that there would be a splendid turnout from Alabama if the Government would pay the expenses of the trip.
 The Krag-Jorgensen rifle has just been furnished to the militia in some of the States, but Some of them are still using the old Springfield. The Alabama National Guard has had the new guns more than a year now and are greatly pleased with them. It is expected that the new Springfield which has been adopted by the United States Government will be issued to the army for the first time in January, and | 1t will take about month to get the new gun in the hands of the regulars In a few years they will be in the hands of the National Guard, and by
 that time a new gun may have been | adopted.
 An interesting question recently came | before the Comptroller of the Treasury | in the case of Col. James H. McClin' | tock. commanding the 1st Regiment oi Infantry of the National Guard of Ari-
 zona. The disbursing officer of the
 territory desired to know whether Col
 onel McClin tock could be paid his sal ary as a militia officer during tho
 maneuvers of the militia this year. Il
 was thought possibly that this pay
 ment of salary as a militia colonel wa: l affected by the law of July 31, 1894
 which prohibits the payment of two
 salaries from the Government to a per
 son holding one position yielding {
 salary of $2,500 per annum. Colone
 McClintock, besides being a militia of | ficer. Is postmaster of Phoenix. his pa!
 in that capacity being s2,sC0. Th' l Comptroller decided that Colonel Nc 1 CIntoek as a, militia officer is not al appointee of the gen sral government but holds his command by virtue O territorial authority and not by United States authority. Under these circum
 stances the disbursing officer of Arf
 zona has been advised that he Is at lib
 erty to pay Colonel McClintock the sun due him as a militia officer.
 1 Tn Wisconsin the National Guard ii