Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-10-16
Bismarck, Thursday, October Is, 1913
A Salute TO the National Guard

~. "A SAk($t w ~
Bismarck is guest today to a battalion OF visiting
guardsmen, splendid representatives OF North Dako-
tas regiment. They are the companies IRON valley
City. jamestown, Mandan and Dickinson, and tlley
will Join the local company in the spectacular dem,
onstration which is to be staged among the hills east
of the capitol.
This demonstration will undoubtedly be largely at
tended from all over the state, and may possibly be a
( SORT Of farewell to the soldier boys who participate In
the naneuvers. as the chances are strong that the9
will be- called to the front in the Mexican trouble.
North Dakota has a regiment Of which its people
should be proud. This regiment made a most excel
lent record in the Philippines and today ranks among
the best in the Union. 1t is oficered by men "A"
have been in the service and who lave provn TIM
selves as being undisputedly as good teld-men as are
to be- found anywhere in the nation.
Many are prone to make fun Of the citizen soIdIe'
but this is a mistake and an inappreciation, for these
boys are the safeguards of our liberties, our homes
our lives and our property. The public sees but little
of the drilling and the grilling, the %raWhiding and
the irksome duties of the soldier, even in times o.
peace.
A soldier and an athlete go together, for they
must have good vital organs; must train; must nave
good heads. not to become ratified; must have COM
mon sense; must have courage, must know how TO
ODGy OluGls, -uuSt US obiS " w "a W o."N" '" wa"
Who does not admire the man, be he soldier, athlete
or citizen, who does not know defeat by any name
whatever, and enjoys to call the play an uphill game?
When a man or boy goes along erect, mead W,
shoulders back, viii, a snappy, determined air~ about
hin, all know there IS good in him that can be deyel'
oped by discipline and healthy exercise. Many boys
have never known discipline before, and when OUT Of
their parents sight have been in the habit Of doing as
they pleased.
The drills teach them obedience cheerfulnesS and
%quickness in obeying orders. Their characters are
being Strengthened up morally, just as they are physl-
cally, by the setting up exercises, cahstherics and
marching movements.
Mothers realize that it is far better for their sons
to join the Guard and pass their spare time at tile
arnory, where good order is always maintained and
healthy amusement encouraged, than elsewhere.
All appreciate more and more the fact that military
training, with its lessons Of respect for authority and
devotion to duty, improves the quail y Of citizenship.
There is a feeling that the training OF Young men
in arms to enable them to defend our country against
enemies is patriotic work, and many OF the :nen VINO
have left the Guard have given assurance that in an
emergency they will quickly return. 10 the colors.
Whether we like it Or not, we Must nave soldiers
III every state and nation, just as we have the police
iii the cities. and all should understand and appreci
ate the American soldier. II there is any body of
citizens who deserve the respectful considerations and
gratitude of the people of the country it is the nation
al guardsmen, the men who are willing to devote their
time and energy to the public service without AIDE,
quata compensation and often at the sacrifice of
health and life, and in these busy days Of commercial
ism we need, as a people and as individuals, patriotic
impulse and influence. $3.50"
That eventually the national guard Of the various
states will be called upon to restore order in Mexico
cnarnc hoortoip nnd tho On1v ruactiDn ic whom III oh
a step will be necessary.
While the army men are reticent upon the subject
and Invariably reply to all questions with the reguli7
ton statement: "You know as much about it as l
do, all the information we have is what we get from
the papers,"
That the guardsmen will be necessary in case
trouble arises. goes without argument. In Mexico
there are more than is. 000,0 900 people and the upris-
ing against the government is not confined to any
one district, but permeates the whole country. More
than s6,O09,0 100000 of foreign capital is invested there
and foreign governments demand that such enormous
investments be properly protected.
The men of the North Dakota National Guard are
in good condition and capable of being entrained with
in a few hours should a call be given, and the mem,
bers of the Guard show that they anticipate action
within a short time and possible mobilization of
troops in southern camps. $aJI
So, here is to our guests, the guardsmen, and may
their visit to the capital city be made a pleasant
one, and may our people take special pains to see
that they are treated with all the courtesy due the
men who are ready to fight for anything that is right
It appears that the waters of the Atlantic and
Pacific are not to 'mingle," after all. The locks Of
the. Panama canal are to be filled with water from 9
lake on the intervening high ground and each ocesl
viii keep strictly within its own boundaries, as here
tofore.