The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-05-04
ESPECIAL TO THE PREss.1

tcS fSSlA1 IL 1dG Eh65Ssl
Augusta, May 3.-Gov. Powers was
seen tonight by the PRESS representa-
tive and he gave most important inter
view regarding the calling out of the
Maine Guard, the talk about calling a
special session of the legislature and 9th
or matters. The Governor first produced
clipping from Boston paper which
gave statement sent out by it's repre-
sentative in which he made certain
charges against the chief executive be-
cause he had not seen fit to call an ex-
ira session of the legislature. The article
went on to state that the governor had
received numerous letters from Portland
business men asking that such course
be adopted, when as a fact he never has
received line from any person there
bodies together. He said that he thought
he had pursued the right course in the
matter and voiced the sentiments of the
people throughout Maine when he re-
fused to do So AS far as he could see,
there was no need Of getting the legisla-
ture together. 1t meant great deal of
extra expense, and the governor said it
was his policy to try and keep the bills
down.
The governor stated that he understood
that the special legislative session mat
ter was talked over in one of the promi-
nent clubs in Portland Monday night,
when large number of the representa-
tive men of the city were present, and
they were all decidedly against it.
Regarding the matter of mobilizing the
| trnops at Portland as was first suggested.
when the matter of calling them out was
talked of, the governor said that he had
| never received any request from Port
| land people to do such thing, and it
would not have been policy to lave COM
piled with such a request if he had. He
said the state has muster field here
which it had secured and fitted up at a
great expense and he did not see why
the troops should be gotten together any
where out here. The governor said that
a great deal OF care has been used in ex.
pending money to get the Maine Guard
together, and SO far everything had been
satisfactory to the men and officers and
there was still quite a balance on the
right side in the military fund, which
was placed by the last legislature at
s31 ,0oO There is money enough left to
keep the guard in camp for a long time,
and the emergency fund of 500, 1000 which
was available for all purposes, has never
been touched.
A most important part Of the inter-
view with the governor was what he said
regarding the selection of the First Regi-
ment, this afternoon, to represent Names
quota in the army volunteers called for
few days ago by the President. He said
that he did just what military law
obliged him to do, and that was to ap-
point the senior command, where only
one regiment was called for. SIN mill
tary law" said the governor, "you will
find that seniority governs a good
many cases. There is no feeling over
the matter between the officers and men
of the two regiments over the selection
of the senior regiment to go to the front,
but on the other hand all the officers and
men of the Second Regiment are pleased
with the selection
Names quota in the call for volunteers
is for 1175 men. This number includes