The Savannah morning news., 1904-11-29

| least once a year to determine wheth-
er the organized militia is sufficiently
armed, uniformed, and equipped for
/ active duty in the field as to entitle 1t
to the use of its allotment under Sec
ton 1861. Revised Statutes, for pay,
| subsistence, and transportation while
| encamped in actual field or camp serv-
ice for instruction.
| The Annual Inspection.
| "A special inspection of the entire or
ganized militia of the country was
promptly made after the passage of
the law. Among the immediate re-
suits of the special inspection were
| the disarmament and muster out of
| many companies, the recruitment of
| Others and the entire reorganization
| of the organized militia of several
states and territories. These changes
were made mainly with a view to the
betterment of the service and to secure
a larger attendance at drills etc.. the
| extended territory over which some
companies were scattered in the past
| having precluded the assembling of a
working percentage of the normal
| strength of the organizations.
"a general order was issued putting
| into effect the requirements of the act
| for an annual inspection Of the mill
| strength of the various organizations
| in officers and men. and in arms, am
| munition, and equipment, and Wheth-
| er the organizations are sufficiently
armed uniformed. and equipped for
active service in the field. The gen.
eral results of the inspections which
have been made under this order show
| a great advance in ZEAL efficiency, care
| of arms, uniform. ETC.; also that both
officers and men have acquired a clear
| er comprehension of their duty to the
state and national governments. They
| also show that the militia is gradually
being brought to conform to the sys-
| tenn of the United States army with
| regard to military instruction and dis
cipline. OF the S.479 officers and 1885,
| 7S7 men composing the organized mill
tia of the several states and territories
at the dates of the inspections, 6,915
| officers (S2 peg cent? and SO, 1856 men
| (7S per cent? were present at those
| inspections.
Target Practice.
Target practice, to greater or less
extent, was had during the year by
though in many instances under dis
advantageous circumstances. The
| change of arm from the Springfield to
the .3O-caliber rifle necessitated a re-
building of ranges, which many states
| were unable to bring about: and, in
| the case of city organizations, range
| facilities, unless transportation was
| provided, were unavailable. Reports
/ indicate a lack Of proper armory ac-
computations in the smaller cities and
| villages, although armories well adapt
ed to the purposes for which designed
are found in the larger cities of the
more populous states.
'Of the 2,041 state and territorial or
CARNATIONS inspected by either regu-
| lar or militia officers during the year,
| ,709 participated in practice marches
| or attended at camps of instruction
| for at least five consecutive days, l.
TIA assembled for drill or target prac-
| tice at least twenty-four times during
the year, and seventy-two were mus
tered in too late to participate. or
| were excused by the Governor.
Strength of the Militia.
The strength of the organized militia
of the United States on Oct. l, 1904,
including officers of every rank and
grade, was 1887 consisting of S,SO5
officers and 107, 1872 enlisted men, dis
| tributed. by states as follows:
| Alabama, 2.514; Arizona, 435; Arkansas,
/. 1902; California, LAOS; Colorado 1878;
| Connecticut, 2,752; Delaware, 342; Dis
| trict of Columbia, 1,471; Florida, 1,24;
| Georgia, 3,747; Hawaii, 473; Idaho, 66S;
| Illinois, $751; Indiana, 2,62S; Iowa, q
491; Kansas, l,215; Kentucky, l,5O6;
Louisiana, 1,131; Maine, 1882; Mary
| land. 2,216; Massachusetts. $685. Michi-
gan. 2,791; Minnesota, 2,042; Mississippi,
| l1S1: Missouri, 2,734; Montana, SIT; Ne
| braska, LAS; Nevada, 1877; New Hamp-
shire, 1,206; New Jersey, 1882 New
| Mexico, 2S6; New York, Is, 703 North
Carolina, 1877; North Dakota, 715; Ohio,
5,915; Oklahoma, 1923; oregon, 1,O19;
Pennsylvania, 9,72S: Rhode Island, L.
O55; South Carolina, 3.745: South Da-
kota, 1,215: Tennessee, 2,17O; Texas,
3.OS7; Utah, 344; Vermont, 1854; Virginia,
p 422: Washington, ST.; West Virginia,
1850; Wisconsin, 2,926; Wyoming, 1863.
rs Per Cent. Would Respond to Call.
The military secretary estimates
that about rs per cent of the total
strength of the organized militia would
respond to a call for service under the
federal government.
In addition to improving the person
mel Of the organized militia, raising the
standard of its discipline, and increas-
ing it's efficiency, the new militia law
has aroused the interest Of the young
men of the country in military affairs
and has increased their inclination for
military service.
The great benefits derived from
the APPLICATION of the pro-
visions of Section IA of the
militia low can be seen In the
fact that since Sept. /. 1908, the follow
ing named states and territories have
drawn upon the government for funds
from the annual appropriation provid-
ed by Section 1861 Of the Revised stat
utes for the purpose OF paying either
In whole or In part the expenses Of
pay, subsistence and transportation OF
such portions of their organized mi
litia as were designated to participate
in actual field or camp service for in
struction:
Albania, Arizona, Arkansas. District
OF Columbia, Georgia. Indiana, Iowa,
Kansas. Kentucky. Louisiana, Mary
land. Michigan, Minnesota. Mississippi,
Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New
Mexico. New York. North Carolina,
Ohio. Oklahoma. oregon. Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island. South Caorlinn, TenneF-
see. Utah. Vermont. Washington and
Wyoming.
Ia several cases the funds 30 OBJ
tanned were utilized Tor the purpose ~
paying the expenses ~ the state or ter
rit0rial rife teams which participated
IN matches at Sea Girt, ~. y, Hayan-