tions, for which they are entitled to the consideration of the state.

THE MILITIA LAW.

The existing military law of the state is in many respects obsolete. The Judge Advocate General of the United States Army has held that it does not conform to the provisions of the "Dick Bill," and that the organization of the militia under it does not conform to the organization of the regular army.

It is absolutely necessary that the laws be amended so as to conform to the provisions of the "Dick Bill," prior to January 21, 1910, otherwise the state cannot participate in the appropriation of Congress for the benefit of the militia, from which, as before said, arms, equipment and uniforms are provided and certain expenses for target practice and encampments are paid. Such participation is practically a necessity to the maintenance of the guard, and as the coming session of the Legislature is the last session before such date, it is imperative that the necessary amendments be made.

I have prepared a revision of the military law which has been sent to the War Department for approval. In my judgment it conforms to the provisions of the "Dick Bill,* and contains such other provisions as I believe will inure to the good of the service, a copy of which I transmit to you herewith, and upon which I recommend that legislative action be taken.

ARMORY AT SALT LAKE CITY.

I earnestly urge the construction of an armory by the state at Salt Lake City.

The regular army of the United States numbers in round figures 68,000 men, the National Guard of the several states 111,000 men, making the total of armed and equipped soldiers of the United States 179,000.

The dominant power of the East is prepared to put 500,000 armed and equipped men into the field ready for duty within a week, and one of the greatest powers of continental Europe has 800,000 trained soldiers at its command. The possession of the Hawaiian Islands, the Philip

pines, and the Panama Canal brings responsibilities and possibilities of international complications, and the doctrine of American supremacy upon the American continent will not gain in popularity in the eyes of continental Europe with a lapse of time.

To reasonably insure peace this country must be in a position to command the respect of the great powers of the world, and such respect is commanded by a present ability to do, and can only be commanded by the present existence of a trained, disciplined and equipped force reasonably commensurate with that available to other powers. It is idle to say that a volunteer force can be raised and trained after the necessity for the use of an army arises, and folly to depend upon such force for moral effect. Such a force is not a present available asset and passes current with the nations of the earth no more than would a statement of a bank that it had not the money on hand to meet its obligations, but would procure it if a reasonable time were given in case of necessity. Far be it from me to belittle the worth of the volunteer soldier, but the testimony. of every volunteer soldier as well as the regular is to the effect that it takes months to arm and equip and make a soldier of a citizen, however willing and anxious he may be, and the lessons of our two great wars, the Revolution and the Civil War, proud as we may be of their termination,

teach us. Another controlling factor demanding consideration is that recent international strife has not commenced in a small way and grown, through years, to its maximum proportion, but has been brought on with a suddenness that was a shock to the world. The aggressive nation has thrown its whole power upon its opponent at the start and peace has been concluded within a time hardly sufficient to arm and equip and train a volunteer force. As to this fact, the Franco-Prussian, Spanish-American and Russian-Japanese Wars are a demonstration.

It is a fact beyond debate that the United States must maintain a reasonable force, armed and equipped. The present force of 179,000 is grossly insufficient, but in order to maintain this force, it is necessary that each state main

tain a militia exceeding 100 men for each Senator and Representative, the number required to be maintained under the "Dick Bill." To maintain such ratio of armed and equipped militia is the duty of every state, and the state knows no higher duty to itself and the Federal Government than this. If it fails so to do, it is shirking a responsibility and casting the burden for general protection upon her sister states.

The policy of this country is against the maintenance of a large standing army. It therefore follows that the respective states must maintain their proportion of an efficient militia, and it goes without saying that Utah will in the future, as in the past, do her part. To accomplish this result the respective organizations of the National Guard must have suitable armories for the purpose of drill and instruction, and the care and storage of arms and equipment. As Salt Lake City will, without doubt, continue to be the center of population within the state, a large portion of the National Guard will be drawn therefrom, and headquarters will be located there in the future as in the past. Up to this time, the state has rented from time to time every hall with connecting rooms that was available, and the question of fitness for the purpose was of necessity a minor consideration. It was obliged to take what it could get, and has been forced to move not less than five times. For the years 1901-2 the total expenditure for rental of armories was $2,517.30; for the years 1903-4, $3,267.36. The cost of rental for the Salt Lake armory alone, occupied since July 1, 1905, is $4,320.00 per year, and the lease on these premises expires July 1st, 1910. Since the execution of this lease, rental values have greatly increased, and what the cost of re-leasing the present premises would be, if the owner is disposed so to do, it is of course impossible to say, but it is reasonable to expect that there will be a substantial advance in rate. Four years ago an effort was made towards the purchase of a piece of ground for armory purposes which could then have been obtained for $20,000.00. Today that property has a valuation of $75,000.00.

It seems therefore self-evident that it is unwise to longer delay the acquisition of a suitable site and of the erection of an armory in Salt Lake City. By the act creating the State Armory Board, the sum of $10,000.00 per year was appropriated for the payment of rental of armories, and the act further provided that all unexpended balances of any moneys appropriated by the state for military purposes shall be turned over to the Treasurer of the State to the credit of the Military Fund. There is now approximately $24,000.00 in that fund.

The yearly rental now being paid equals five per cent interest upon $86,400.00. The state land board is in a position to loan the Armory Board, if authorized so to do by act of the Legislature, this sum of money, which, together with the amount on hand in the military fund, it is believed, will purchase ground and build an armory, commocious and well appointed and sufficient to accommodate and meet the needs of the guard for ten years to come, and with the addition of an administration building sufficient to accommodate its needs, upon the basis of eight organizations, for twenty-five years to come. I most earnestly recommend that such action be taken. By so doing the certainty of increased expense, year by year, of maintaining the guard in Salt Lake City will be overcome and the necessities of the guard will be properly provided for. As the amount now paid for rentals would then be paid as interest, and inure directly to the benefit of other state institutions, it would appear to be not more than sound business principles to proceed at once along these lines, so that such armory may be completed on or before the expiration of the lease of the premises now occupied.

I have the honor to submit herewith photographs of sketches of a proposed building, which in my judgment is suitable and proper for the state to erect, and although, at first glance, they may seem more extensive than present necessity requires, attention is called to the fact that a portion of the company quarters will be occupied by the Adjutant General's Department, and Regimental Headquarters, until the construction of the Administration Building, pro

visions for which are made in the proposed plans, the middle portion of the front shown on the elevation being temporary. Attention is also called to the fact that the city and state are growing rapidly and that the common mistake. made in the construction of public buildings is in underestimating the future accommodations required.

PAY OF COMMANDING OFFICERS AND SERGEANTS.

The present and ever-increasing standard of efficiency demanded by the Federal Government of the state's militia carries with it many duties to be performed by the commanding officer and the first sergeants of the respective organizations, and it is absolutely essential that these duties be performed with minute exactness and extreme promptness. There is no other way to keep up to the standard. The days when a militia company could be allowed to shift for itself and be responsible only for a reasonable percentage of its strength attending the annual encampment, and that percentage practically undisciplined, have passed. The state militia is now a part of the regular army.

The

It is upon the same footing and dignity. It is required to turn out trained men at inspections and at camp. direct responsibility for all of this is upon the commanding officers and first sergeants of organizations. It is too much to ask this service in behalf of the state without some compensation, and it is not to the good of the service to expect it without compensation. The Adjutant General and the commanding officer of the guard has no basis upon which to found a demand for the performance of a stated duty, along administration lines, except the patriotism of the officer from whom the same is demanded. While, as before said, the services freely rendered by the officers and men of the guard have been highly commendable, the average length of service of a commanding officer will not exceed from a year to a year and a half. Having served that time in the performance of the duties above outlined, the majority of men feel, and perhaps justly, that they have done their part, and send in their resignations, much to the detriment of the service, for permanency of the tenure of office of commanding officers is much to be desired. During the last two years there has been at least one change of the