The Meeker herald., 1922-11-04
THE 100000 RANGERS

Of the Republican state central com
mittce, We know exactly how much 1t
has cost to maintain he army OF Col
orado. during the past two yeafs II
IL S2.4D2,5I2.44 ~
This is more than twice as much as
the people of Colorado have been led
to believe the ShOup army WIS sort
Ing them It is nearly there times
us much MS was spent under the al
ministrntIon of Governor Gunte! IN
preparing and mObi!izing the NarioL-
al Guard for service In the war with
Germany and for maintaining the de-
partmcnt of safety % do the genera
police and guard work at home. mndr
necessary by the wa. Here are lie
figures In detail:
Colorado Rangers ------ $3.50, OC0. 90
Suppression Of rio. etc. (uscd by
both Rangers and Guard) 2O0.OOU on
Military fund fused by National
Purchase OF sites ana construction of
nrmorics ---------- $780, ID,oN''c
Spent by federal government to main
tian \. q. ------ - .2tD,J,2. ~
Yet Ben Griffith. Republican candi-
date for governor. indorscs this i'm
mensc expenditure for mn army in
times Of peace and promises to CON
tinuc II. He calls 1t ch~np insurance
against trouble. II is more than
twice MS much ny was spent to sup
press the coal strike riots under the
Ammons administration. which Mr.
Griffith says were the most disastrous
riots In the history of the state.
Mr. Shaw gives us the figures III an
attempt to prove that we would not
save any money by abolshing the
rangers. They cost only $145.0O0 II
slight discrepancy Of S2.@2.OOO They
do not lessen the expense of the guard
for It has cost more than twice as
much IN the past two years rs II cost
In any previous biennial period.
Mr. Shnw and Mr. Griffith tell rs
lIIUl ny ItHS'l VI " u'S' VI
nrmorics for, the use Of the National
Guard. we save the money necessary
for the maintenance OF that orgnniZa-
tion. And George nnively informs us
that this maintenance amounts to
$GU.2J % year But the federal
government does not spend any money
which 1t does not collect through fax
alton. and the people. OF Colorado pay
their shnrr The SG:'O.OOO n yenr
which we nre told the federal govern
mcnt spends for maintaining the Ma
is paid In taxes by the people Of Colo
RADIO and must he added to the other
expense.
Griffith tells MS tint the rangers re-
licvc the National Guard of expensive
and disagrcenhle strike duty. Yet the
rangers were In existence when the
guard was moboliZed and II part of
il sent into southern Colorado last
year on account of II coal strike. The
rangers were also in existence when
the g,inrtl was again mObOliZed and
II pnrt of II sent into northern Colo
RADIO this year on account OF n coal
strike. In view of these facts and fig
rlrcs can any one tell us what the ran
gers have done since their organiza-
ton to Justify their existence They
have increased instead Of decreasing
the expense of the National Guard.
They have not relieved the National
Guard of strike duty. They have done
nothing except to spend $4,000 ap-
propriated for their use and part Of
S2OO.OO appropriated for the suppress
sion of riots and to increase the an
nual cost of our military establish
,ncnt from less than $5OO,OOO to ST.
30, 900.
In this connection ii shold not be
forgotten that the entire expense of
recruiting the National Guard to full
strength. eUuipping II. maintaining 1t
and turning 1t over to the federal gov
eminent ready for war service In
1917. and OF orgnzing. cIuipping and
ma intnining the department of safe
ty to do the police and guard duty
made necessary at home during the
war with Germany, in 1917 and 1913
was only 1866. 1000.