The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-06-03
BANooR'S HOPES.
They Are Shattered by the Governor who
Tells why the City Cannot be Camp.
(Bangor Commercial. }

You may say that personally would
rather come to Bangor than to any Other
Maine city, but that can't see my way
to do It,.
That was what his eIcellency, the gov.
ernor said to the Commercial man who
interviewed him on Bangor s. ARGOS
took train late Tuesday afternoon.
The governor was on his way home 10
Houlton, from the military headquarters
in Augusta. When the train arrived In
Bangor representative of the CONNER
oisl boarded 1t and rode to Orono In the
governors car On the way the State {
chief magistrate stuffed facts into few
minutes In the comprehensive way which
makes him, next to School Supervisor
dent Etetson, the easiest man in Maine In
an interview.
~ know just how your people feel. -
said the governor, land wish could &C.
commodate them. l appreciate Bangor.
l have heaps Of friends there and every.
thing IL pleasant for me III had my
own personal wish TO follow and nothing
else, would select Bangor instantly as
the place for the camp Of the second regi-
ment. 1t is nearer my home. like it
and the people. Don't you suppose
would rather como down TO Bangor and
pass comfortable two weeks at the Ban.
gor House II could7
Now. there are several good reasons
why Bangor can't have the camp. In
the first place / do not yet know about
the assembling of the regiment l may
not call 1t out l shall certainly not
again try the plan Of bringing skeleton
companies to Augusta to try to oil them
up with recruits When the troops come
to Augusta again. II they do, 10 will be
TO be mustered into the army.
The War Department has plan on
loot by which no second regiment will be
CALLED out, and by which l shall simply
increase the strength of the First reg T.
msnt by sending forward 300 men tc
Chiokamauga, and by organizing bat
terry Of artillery. Nothing definite, how
ever, has yet been done, and l really can't
say whether or not the Second or any
part Of it will be called out.
Again, said the governor, 'the ques-
ton of expense is not y pressing argu-
ment for your people. The United States
pays bne travel expenses Oh sFeTy mHn
sent to Augusta, pays 1t for the round
trip, whether he Is accepted or rejected.
The State pays in the first place and waits
Tor Its reimbursement, which will surely
come.
The moving of the headquarters to Ban.
sor would occasion great expense and In
convenience, not to say loss. In the State
House We have all sorts of valuable
records and all the facilities for carrying
ON the camp work. This is no annual
muster affair. War is serious and clerical
work to be done In connection with the
camp Ia simply appalling when you think
OF 1t. To transfer our entire clerical
staff from Augusta to Bangor would be
next to impossible, and would surely up
set so many arrangements in the office OF
the adlutaut general that the confusion
would be near complete.
The camp Geld at Augusta Is suited
to tho coming of the soldiers. There are
oookhonses and all other conveniences,
and the place is perfectly suited to the
purpose. Moreover the State legislature
mas made The Augusta camp tho State
lister ground, in place of the old fash
Toned method of holding the annual en-
oampment In different cities.
In fact every good reason seems to
point toward the value of Augusta as the
proper place for the camp. / am speak
Ing now as the oommander-in- chief of
the troops, not personally. For myself l
must say that Bangor is always attrac-