The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-02-03

ganization of a national guard COM
mensurate with Its importance.
Since 1908 there has been two
funds for the purchase OF arms-one
consisting of the 100000 before men,
TONED, end its Accommodations, and the
other OF changing appropriation for
arms for the regular establishment.
These two funds have always been
Kept separate by tire 5ecreta<E' CT war,
end there was a time when about
the only arms furnished the militia
were those discarded by the regular
army. BY 1897 the government had
accumulated a large reserve supp,
of arms and the militia Began clauSr
ing for a better equipment, and lsmy
officers began to recognize the i'm
portance of training the militia TO use
the arms that would be N actual ser
vice in time of war. In 1897 con-
gress provided that:
tsThe Secretary of War is hereby
authorized to issue to governors D.
the several states and territories
such number of Springfield breech-
loading rifles, caliber fefty-fve one
hundre6ths of an inch, as are required
for arming all the regularly organized
and equipped militia generally known
as the national guard) of each state
and territory that are not already sup
piled with this arm"
During the short war with Spain
some of the regiments of volunteers
raised by the several states having
taken into the service the arms issued
to the militia, and the governments
having retained the arms when the
regiments were mustered out. the
war. department was authorized to re-
place such arms so retained, by new
rifles of the same model. the pro-
vision of the law being that:
'On application of the governor of
any state or territory the secretary
of war is authorized to replace the
ordnance and ordnance stores which
the volunteers from said state or ter
ritory carried into the service of the
United States army during the recent
war with Spain. and have been retain
ed by the United States"
After awhile new model was
adopted by the government for the
arming Of the regulars, and the mill
tia were again put at a disadvantage.
and in 1908 congress placed them
once more on an equality so far as
IL,
armament went by replacing the arm
with rifles of the new model. The act
providing as follows:
''The secretary of war is hereby au-,
thorized to issue, on the reguisition
of the governors of the several states
and territories, or of the commanding
general OF the militia of the District
of Columbia. such number of United
States standard service magazine
arms, as are required for the army
of the United States, for arming all
of the organized militia in said states
and territories and District of Colum
bia"
Similar authority was given the de-
partment by the act of 1904 contained
in the army appropriation bill. 1t
provided that:
For the purpose of furnishing the
necessary articles requisite to fully
'rm, equip and supply each regiment,
battalion, squadron, company. troop
batter, signal, engineer. and hospital
corps and medical department of the
militia of the several states
and territories, and District OF Colum-
bia, with the same armament and
equipment as are now prescribed for
corresponding branches of the line or
staff in the regular army, the secre-
tary of war is hereby authorized to
issue the said armament and equi-
ment to the organized militia
Now that another change has been
made in the arms of tine regulars.
once mere the old inequality exists IS
the militia have the Krag and the reg
ulars the New Springfield, Model 1908
1t Is held by the war department that
it has no power to issue the new arms
to the militia without congressional
action. The department recognizes the
Importance of exchanging the old
Krags of the national guard for the
new Springfields and is very anxious
to do So
A law of congress provides for on
annual national rifle match vAcrs
teams of the regular army, navy
marine corps and national guard cJrl-
pete with each other, and it does ap-
pear that action should promptly be
taken to put all branches of the ser,
vice On an equality as regards arms.
With the national guard using the
OLD krags 1t can be readily seen ii
cannot compete on an equality with
the regulars who use the new Spring
helds- The second war with Great
Britain, that with Mexico and that
with Spain caught the government
without a well organized militia, and
the consequences were the govern
ment was put at great disadvantage
IN eacn instance. the young men OF
the country are now displaying
most commendable spirit in entering
heartily and earnestly into the work
OF the national guard, and nearly all
of the state governments are making
liberal appropriations Tor the better
organization of the quart, and it de-
serves to be placed in all respects as
n nd