Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-12-29

the report has not materially changed
since the reports Of 1907 were made.
In this connection, the writer makes
special mention of the fact that the
personnel of the guard has changed
almost completely since the report Of
last year, owing to the fact that the
paper enlistment has been practically
done away with and a working force
substituted. Dlla average membership
of officers and enlisted men is shown
Z to be 37o.6 for 1907, during which year
t39 drills We're held, showing average
strength present of 40. During the year
covered by the present report, AZ drills
were held. showing an average strength
present of 60.71.
Company II showed the highest per-
cent OF any organization for the year,
Its standing being s1,65 per cent The
First battery, T.. A. was excused by
the commander irl-chief from field duty
average per cent materially. The aver.
age membership of the year for Of
flcers and men is given at 1908. The
average of the strength as prescribed
by the president under the Dick bill is
shown as 70.6 per cent This is With
the exception of the signal corps and
battery. The attendance at the gov.
eminent inspection was 1914. per cent.
The signal corps shows the highest per
cent at S1.51 per cent, the band be-
ing second with so,51 per cent.
Although the numerical strength liz
little changed since 1907. the writer.
expresses the belief that the member
ship is much more substantial and that
1T is a wise policy once having or
sallized company at Its station to
maintain 1t with as much permanently
as possible as he has found that by
50 doing the local pride is sustained
and the value OF the force thereby
greatly increased in time Of need. Con-
siderable space is given in his report to
the summers naneuyers, encampment
rifle practise, etc, but the most earnest.
part of the document is encountered
when the writer makes first reference
to the need OF an ar1nory in Salt Lake
City.
g In dealing with this question, Gen.
WedgWaod draws special attention to
the fact that 80 far various organiza-
tions in the national guard with the ex-
=ception of Ogden are dependent upon
rented quarters wholly. Such quarters
are altogether Inadequate to the pur'-
pose OF, the guard, especially as they
nave no storage facilities and are en-
tfrely lacking in necessary places for
the cleaning and repairing of the deli
cate mechanism OF field pieces. rifles
and other equipment. These things
must be kept III repair and under COW
or, to say nothing of the storage IA
fcilities required for the keeping of 9TH
CIR military equipment.
& During the past 1t has been necessary
for the national guard quarteIed in Salt
Lake to move five different times.
Even the armory at Ogden, the writer
says. is far from being satisfactory.
There is now available $4,000, which
tits recommended should be laid out In
the purchase of of an arInory site. This
building could be made to earn a large
per cent Of its original cost for con-
5ventions and other purposes, for which
the plan contemplates in Its design.
The report OF Col. Plummer, COM
manding the First infantry, is attach
ed ana made q part of the report OF the
adjutant general.
An important recommendation by
Cen Wedgwood Is that officers called
upon to do clerical and other work
among the companies and in regiment
: al headquarters In addition to the
work ordinarily expected of guardsnlen
.be paid for this service He asks that
an appropriation of $4,000 be made by
the legislature for this purpose.
2 Tho results of the annual inspection
by an OFFICER OF the regular army AFRO
shown in the report to have been very
satisfactory and to have shown u
marked increase in all lines OF eff
cheney over previous years.
Fl Marked Increase In interest in inarlSs-
Inauship is shown to have been mani-E
fest during the year, the competition
in Ohio, to which Utah sent a team,
having stimulated rifle practise to u
gratifying extent.
al The need of amending the present
military code OF the state is brought
to attention by Gen. WedgWood, who
says in his report that the present
laws OF the state do not conform 20
federal requirements.