The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1906-01-12
IMPORTANT TO MILITARY MEN.
Adjutant General Foster Issues Or
ders to State Troops.

Office, Tallahassee, Jan. 3, 1906.-Gen-
eral Orders No. IL. The work OF
the Florida State Troops at the recent
encampment at Orlando and Lake
City and the conditions in the several
organizations as developed by the lat
est inspections, seem to indicate the
absence of any definite and progress
i've program for drill and exercises
throughout the year. Exclusive of en-
campments, the time which may be
devoted to practice in militia organi
cations is limited to about, or per-
haps under, 100 hours per year. divid
ed into fifty two weekly drills. Con
sidering all that must be learned be-
fore a uniformed individual becomes
justly entitled to the designation of
soldier" and before an organization
can attain that degree of efficiency
which will afford proper protection to
its members-nOt to speak of the com
munity-it must surely be seen that
unless this limited amount of time
available for military duty be so di-
vided and appOrtioned as to provide
for a course OF instruction that will
be progressive through the various
branches of military work, the organ
izations can never hope To realize the
purposes for which they have been es-
tablished.
AS it takes something more than a
commission, a uniform. and a sword
to make an officer, so it takes some
thing more than the voluntary assem-
bly, of a dozen or more members each
week, a roll call and a few move
ments in the manual of arms. and
school of the soldier" repeated week
after week without variation, to per-
feet a military company. But the re-
suits show that this course has been
followed at many stations of the Flor
which must be corrected if the States
military force is to be brought to a
proper standard of efficiency and rem
dered effective in the degree contem-
plated by congress and the state leg
islature when enacting laws designed
TO make the organized militia the
second line of defense" a coordinate
branch of the army of the United
States as well as a strong and ade-
quate force for state purposes in Sc
curing the enforcement of law and or
der
Lack of Study Shown.
AS has already been pointed out by
officers, much valuable time
was occupied during the recent en-:
campments in elementary work with
which it might reasonably be expect
ed that all officers and enlisted men
would have been thoroughly familiar
before leaving their home stations
This was not only the case last year,
but the year before and, in fact, every
year so far, and can only be attribut-
ed to lack of preliminary and progress
sive study and drill at the home sta
tions.
II it is desired to fix the response
bility for these conditions it must be
placed upon the commanding officers
who are charged with the duty of
and supervising the drill
and instruction of their commands
There are in the state service a great
many capable an Inexperienced officers,
but unfortunately some of these, SEEM
ingly content with the service they
have previously rendered, and willing
to hold high rank. though not to per-
form the duties or accept the respon-
sibilities which it involves, have late
ly shown a disposition to hang on and
drift-rather than to take a hand at
the oars. A more active policy upon
the part of these officers might possi-
bly, have saved the service the criti-
cisms recently bestowed by the United
States inspectors. who said: THE
trouble is too many inefficient officers"
A Good Suggestion.
The commanders chief feels that
it will not be inappropriate just now,
when plans for the ensuing year must
be made, TO say To all officers, irres-
pective of grade, who do not feel able
To give time and attention To the SER
vice commensurate with the impor-
tance and dignity of the positions to
which they may have been appointed,
that they owe it To themselves and to
the state To give place To those who.
though perhaps less experienced. pos
sess the inclination and enthusiasm
an dtherefore may be relied upon To
develope the ability-necessary to per-
form such duties as may be expect
ed and required of them.
But the object of this order is not
so much to fix responsibility for what
has paSSa1 aS IN o,,tli,. ,>,o..,r{L, -, i