The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-12-27
MILITIA SUPPORT INADEQUATE
DOUBLING OF APPROPRIATION
is REQUESTED.
National Guard Officers Urge Legisla-
turc to Allow $4,000 for Mainten.
ancc-May Lose Federal Aid 9th
crwiSc.

OOioiiiOieA, DCS' %o.-OlllSSIS OIL the
National Guard Association of South
Carolina have addressed a letter to
the members Of the general assembly,
urging an appropriation of $4,000
Tor maintenance of the companies
next year. The letter to the legisla-
ture, is signed by E. c. vonTresckow,
/ secretary Of the association. The ap-
preparation will also be recommended
to the legislature by w. w Moore,
adjutant and inspector general, in his
annual report.
Letter to- members of the house
and sena' . ,ws;
'Rer ~ ing the National Guard
Asso of South Carolina, 1 am
WI. y % you to request your earnest
after on, as member OF the general
assembly, to the fact that the grant
ing of a regular annual appropria-
tion Of $4,000 to the National Guard
| IS an absolute necessity if South
Carolina is to continue to have militia
organizations.
The crisis our militia passed
through last summer, when the war
department was about TO withdraw
/ its support, has brought up plainly
and squarely to the people Of our
State the question: Do they want a
National Guard or not? And there
is no question but that the over
whelming majority, for reasons un-
necessary to state, want a State mill
tia.
Unless the appropriation is in
creased from $4,000 to S25,O0O it will
not be possible for the militia to re-
main in the National Guard, and the
withdrawal from the National Guard
would mean the discontinuance by
the United States government of the
alternating annual appropriation Of
100000 and $4,000, and the calling
in Of practically the whole equipment
arms uniforms, tentage, etc. The
,ss;tassads dsesssi asaiLlzA pshs
thousands Of dollars in purchasing
new equipment and would either have
! to greatly increase the annual appro-
/ priation or reduce the strength of the
militia- If the militia is to remain
in the National Guard and the State
will not increase the Appropriation,
then at least one regiment or moro
will have to be mustered out. This.
as we demonstrated by the stand
taken By the citizens of the counties
whose organizations were to be mus
tered out last summer is against the
wishes Of the people, who demand, as
the best preventative against race
conflicts, the presence in each county
of a military organization.
"At present about one third Of the
counties have no organizations land a
reduction would cut out IL more at
least.
For 1913 each company will re-
Ceive only $175 as their portion of the
present appropriation. Armory rents
alone amount to from $50 to s240
per annum, according to the size of
the town, and besides this there are
lights, fuel, care OF rifles and equip
ment and running expenses amount
ing to about $3.50 more, and this
means that the members Of the or
CARNATIONS have either to foot these
bills get outside contributions or
cease to exist.
"Thc enlisted men of the National
/ Guard perform n patr otic duty with
practically no pccuniary recompense.
and the people of the State should
not and do not, ask that its National
Guard continue to labor under finan-
cial difficulties when the wealth and
prosperity of this great State are an
nually increasing.
The following list will show that
the State of South Carolina gives less,
not only in proportion to the strength
of its militia, but in actual appropria-
ton, than the other States:
Alabama. 1000, $4,000: Connec-
ticut, 200, $4,000; Florida, l,SCO
$4,000: Georgia. 5000 $4,000;
Louisiana, 1000, $1,000; North Caro-.
lima, $500, $4,000; Ohio, 5000,
$i5c.OOO; New York, 10000, $780,
900: Maryland, 1900. $4,000: Massa-
chuSetts, G,G00, $6OO,O00; Kentucky,
1,c0O, $4,000; Tennessee. 1.5OU. s2O.-
oOo; Virginia, $500. 100000; South
Carolina / 900 $40 ono
You are therefore asked to sup
port, at the ensuing term Of the gem
eral assembly, q $4,000 annual ap-
preparation for The National Guard.
TOrrcCn and Monterey Bcsicgcd.