The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-09-24

his command up to the highest degree
Of discipline and effisiency.
Captain d. Houston Smith, who long
commanded company j. ard Regiment,
OXFORD. has been recently elected ma
jor and has gone to work In earnest
in doing his part In making real SOL
diers out of his command. He has
the battalion made up of his former
company /, Of Oxford, company G Of
Gadsden, company d of Admission, and
company L Of Talladega. He has
adopted q plan of regular inspection
and I'm the next quarter will inspect
all four companies and get them In
States inspection to take place early
in the coming year.
Major Smith will see that his COM
mand Is equipped and in shape for in
spection and above all, will have the
men present on thar most important
annual occasion. 1t is hoped that the
per cent next year will be so high as
to convince the authorities that the
men have the requisite interest and
that they can, at least, attend one
meeting a year, in the face of all OBJ
stacles There is no valid excuse for
absence from the regular instruction
and the men must be in line to gess the
per cent so much desired. This In
novation of Major Smith will do much
ior tue future SoOQ VI tue serVice.
Volunteers aud Militia.
There is considerable difference in
the status of volunteers and militia.
in times of active service. The former
stand in about the position as regulars,
except that IL is for temporary GER
vice ana when that is completed, they
are disbanded as in the case with
volunteers in the Spanish American
war.
The militia is limited to men be-
OF age. and cannot be used for more
than nine months and not for foreign
invasion.
For instance. the organized forces of
the Alabama militia could not be urcd
In American intervention I'm Cuba and
IT, more troops than are in the reg
,aar- establishment are needed they
will have to BE taken as volunteers.
The government would have no trouble
In getting all the troops 1t can pos
sibiy have occasion to call for in taG
Cuban trouble from the militia nr cit
liens subject to military duty. or
rather fit for such service,
The reorganized authority on su.h
matters. Winthropss Military Law"
says that '.in time OF war the regular
contigent has commonly been sup
Plemented Dy force or yoIunfeer
troops; in the Civil War indeed, the
volunteers composed by far the create
portion of our army. Though In some
particulars of its organization assirn-
lated to the militia, this force is liz
fact as well as in law quite distinct
therefrom. Originated under the con-
stitutional power to raise armies not
under the power. to provide for cal.-
ing out the militia IL Is also distir-
guished from the militia In the persons
composing 1t. in the period Of service,
and in the duties upon which they
nay be employed.
The militia is composed of citizens
between eighteen and forty-five years
of age, their term Of service cannot
exceed nine months. and they cannot
VIC used for the invasion of Il foreign
county or for military service abroad
The employment OF volunteers is not
limited by any of these restrictions.
That this force, though differing from
the regular in that 1t is resorted to for
a temporary purpose. Is equally with
the latter, part of the army OF the
United States. has been expressly held
and adjudged."