Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-03-17
LEFT TO ANOTHER SESSION.
militia Pay" Bill, Passed BY House,
Died In Senate.

Died In senate.
Washington, March 11.-Had con-
gress passed the militia pay" BILL
which went through the house sue
cessfully and which remained a possi-
bility in the senate until the closing
hours of the session, there would now
in all probability be speeding toward
the Mexican frontier a large portion
of the National Guard of the United
States. In fact after the session ended
many persons were not aware that just
before It came to a close the measure
that would have placed every soldier
within the country practically under
Federal control had been smothered
to death by the senate committee on
military affairs.
The Steenerson bill, which was sue
cessfully engineered through the house,
proposed in substance to make a re-
serve corps Of all the state troops.
The enlisted men were to receive $4S a
year each for attending a certain num-
Der of drills and to receive, in addi-
ton, a percentage of the regular army
paw in time of war. Likewise officers
were to secure pay for their time while
not under orders from the war depart
ment and additional pay when at the
front.
The main objection to the bill in the
house was that it practically placed
the state troops under the control OF
the Federal government and many OF
the militia officers did not like that
feature. However, there were enough
votes in the house to put the bill
through and send it over to the SEN
ate.
There were certain amendments Of
fered in the upper house which were
not satisfactory to those interested In
the matter Both Senators Dick and
Penrose-the former Of whom Is one
Of Ohio's best known military men
were eager to have the bill passed at
once, but certain objections were rails
ed. Among these was the argument
that 1t would take from the Federal
treasury. at the outset, between $4,-
900, 900 and sS,000,000. This seemed to
be the blow that gave the measure its
death, though other objections also
were considered before the matter was
allowed to go over to another session.
Those who desired to see the enact
ment of this measure pointed to the
fact that in some parts Of the country
the National Guard is in deplorable
condition, totally unfit to render SER
vice to the government If called upon,
tinue to be the beneficiaries of the
government that they should be re-
quired to show greater degree Of efh-
cheney and military ability.
With no knowledge whatever regard
ing camp sanitation, where a very
large number of them would be en-
camped, and with only the most mea-
gre idea of their duties, 1t was pointed
out that should it become necessary at
any time to call upon the state troops
to assist the regulars, they would be
a menace to the Federal authorities,
more than help, because of the fact
that outside Of the two weeks expert
ence had in camp life every summer
not all of which Is work and none war
fare-many Of the troops are untrain-
ed.
There is every reason to believe that
at the next session Of congress-pos
sibly at the extra session soon to be-
gin-another effort will be made to get
the militia pay" bill through, and it
is not improbable that the matter will
end in success, the present stimulus
on the Mexican frontier causing many
of those in the National Guard to ask
for it's passage.-News and Courier.