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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 11, 1890)
132 WEST SHORE. NATIONAL GUARD CONVENTION. A session of the Oregon National Guard Association is being held in the armory of the First Regiment in this city, lor the purpose of considei ing the question of necessary legislation at the coming session of the legislature, and other ntieetioni effecting the Increased efficiency and higher standing of the hji imiiwf.M-i in . i i mil ll l J If si u COI.ONKL CHARMS r. 1IKK11K, NHST RIUT 0. N. II. national guard of Die state as a serviceable and reliable military arm of the irovernment. Huch an object is certainly a worthy one, and deserves the hearty sympathy and co-operation of the people. The time has gone by when the militia ran be charged with " playing loldier." Service In the national guard means plenty of hard work, the expenditure of tome money, the giving of conilderahle time, and the reaching of a fairly effective stand ard of military excellence on the part of even the privates, while on the part of the cillowrs it means all this Increased from two-fold to ten-fold, in ac cordant with the position occupied. Under the most discouraging condi tions, as compared with the guard of other states, the service in Oregon has been brought to a state of elllolency much higher than In tome states, and fully aa high as It will ever b possible to raise it unless many of the insur mountable obstacles now in the way are removed. This high state has been na bed through the uiieolflih labors of men who have given freely of both time and money to accompllah It, and it can not always be expected to re main there under the same conditions, for unsupported energy must flag and a thankless tark must sometime become Irksome. Nearly every state In the union makes provision for the proper equip ment of ita national guard and for placing it in ramp of Instruction at least one week annually. California and even Die new states of Washington and Montana do this, but Oregon has as yet failed to attempt It. A sudden call for service would find the Oregon national guard unc quipped, and therefore, practically unserviceable anywhere save In the towns where the various t omanlea belong, and not even there for night duty. There is not an over coat in the servlie that is not the private property of the wearer, not a blan ket, not a tin cup or any other utensil, not a tent, and it may be said noth ing whatever that would enable the regiments to go into ramp or respond to a rail fur duty that would lake them Into the field. To be sure, under the stress of andden emergency, when the public welfare was at stake, patriotic rltiaena might, and probably nould, come to the rescue and contribute the new equipment and supplies to render the urgently-needed service, of IhVguard available; but should the state rely upon such a iuppos. ion, and Invite the inevitable delay and loss of the advantage, of prompt act.on at . flXSLrt. undoubtedly, be th.h.mingof.bm to be presented to the legislature appropriating a .urn sufficient to prov.de camp equipage, pay the expenses of two annual encampment, equip the Z'ZZZl and pay the excuse, of the first six month, of the military organization left unprovided for when the national guard was or ganiw d in 1887. The military law passed that year went into effect on the first of July, while the appropriation for the support cf the guard under iU provisions did not become available until January, 1888. Thi. permitted the expense, of maintenance to accumulate for six month., and the military board is, consequently, just six month, .bortr in It. funds. Jbi. .hortage should be provided for. To it can be charged, to a considerable extent, the failure of the board to provide overcoat, and other necewane., and to in .titute many needed measures for the improvement of the guard. One at all familiar with the life and requisites of a soldier doe. not need to be told of the necessity for giving him practical instruction In the camp and field. Theory never can usurp the place of practice. A soldier not trained in the life of the camp, the duties of the sentinel and the practical experience of drill in the field, has all thi. to learn when called upon for active lervice, and is, therefore, not as efficient, serviceable and reliable as one who i, nor can he be considered as competent to answer satisfactorily a sudden call to duty. Camp instruction and discipline, combined with rifle practice, are far more important than a high state of perfection in com pany drill, which the uninformed Individual is prone to consider the sign of a serviceable and trained soldier. The efficient soldier is the one who know, what to do and how to do it when active service i. demanded, not the one who can stand up in the armory and drill the best in the manuel of arms, though, under proper conditions the two will generally be found unit ed In one perron. In like manner the company that can go into camp and take the field in a eilf-reliant and effective way, i. far euperior to the one that can only boast of the ability to execute the school of the company in a faultless manner before a hoet of admiring friends. Again It may be faid that under proper condition., these two companies will often be found com bined in one; for the eame spirit that actuate, the individual and the com- ip I. Ill mrrrmmg ',''"''." .' 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