The morning news., 1899-12-21
WILL NOT CALL A MEETING.
COL. LAwTON THINKS GOVERNOR
SHOULD ACT as HE CHOOSES,

Opposed the Measure Regarding
officers Commissions While 1t
Was Before the Legislature,
Thinks the COmmander-in-Chi
Knows what He Is Doing and
should Have No Suggestions Made.
A Captain Is Stin Using His Efforts
to secure the Governors Veto.
Col. LawtOn Believes the Bill WIN
Be Signed.
Military officers of Savannah will scarce
Iy make any combined effort to induce the
Governor to veto the bill making all com
missions of three years duration, all Off
GERS whose positions are elective being re
quired to stand for reelection after Feb
!. 1900. Considerable opposition to the plan
has developed in Savannah, but it is i'm
probable that anything will be attempted
with the Governor. He will doubtless be
left to follow his own will, so far as the
officers in Savannah are concerned.
Col. A. R. Lawton of the First Regiment
was asked yesterday if he purposed call
ing a meeting of the officers of that com
mand, inviting other Savannah officers, if
they so desire, to attend. The question
was induced by Col. Lawton having taken
a decided stand against the measure while
1t was pending in the Legislature. His
reply, however, was that he would not
call a meeting unless he was persuaded
that number of the officers desired him
to do so.
1t is Col Lawton's opinion that the Gov
ernor should be left to do as he pleases
about the matter, signing or vetoing the
bill as he may see fit. The Governor is
commander-n-chiefo of the forces in the
state, and Col. Lawton would regard 1t
as rather unmilitary and a viola ton of the
ethics to submit a protest to him relative
to any measure he might have under con-
sideration.
In this matter of the commissions. the
Governor, Col. Lawton says, is backed by
the military advisory board the Governor
himself, it Is understood, having advised
that the period be placed upon commits
sions issued. Col. Lawton believes person.
ally that the Governor will sign the bill.
Its relation to commissions is but a
clause Of the bill, and two others that are
known 10 fern part of it are Re egarded as
excellent measures. One of these relates to
the reorganization of the state forces and
the other to the pay of officers and en-
listed men, re6uc ng hat of tie former and
increasing that of the latter. No objec-
tons have been raised 10 either of these
features of the bill. On the contrary they
are commended They could not become
laws unless the Cove. nor should gn the
bill that would also make he objection
able commission measure a law.
While the Legislature was considering
the bill, Col. Lawton did what he could 10
prevent its passage. Had the officers in
Savannah known some time before the bill
came up that it was to be cons de- ed, Trey
would probably have been successful in
securing its defeat, as they are convinced, |
putting all personal considera tions out OF
the question, that the measure will mill
tate against the service and tend to make
it far less effective than it would become
with the present system regarding comm s.
sions still in force.
The captain of one of the local compan-
is took the view, when sen. that some
thing. should be done in protest. He be-
lieves the objections of all the officers |
in this city would not be coEs dared as in
delicate or ungraceful simply because their |
commissions are p-ssibly involved by the |
new rule, as it would be understood that |
1t is no more than the good OF the service |
they are consulting. He, for one, was not !
ready to accept the situation, but intend
ed writing at once to a gentleman whose |
influence he believed might have effect |
upon the Governor.
OoI LaWton was asked If he under |
stands that the measure demands the re- |
examination of officers at present in the |
service. He answered that he had not |
seen copy of the bill, but that he did |
not think this was contemplated. The |
rules as to examinations would probably |
remain as at present. It is thought prob
able that the text of the bill will probably
be issued in the order from the adjutant |
generals office, apprising the officers over
the state Of the action and the necessity
OF holding elections after Feb. l.
1t is currently reported about the streets
that the recommendation of the military
advisory board relative to commissions
was made with one sole object-to induce
Coi. John S. Gambler of the Fifth Regi-
ment to step out. The Morning News dis
patches reported yesterday that opposi-
lon was manifested to Col. Gambler in At
ianta, and it was Indicated that he might
oe given a successor when the time came
Tor an election. There must have been
some ground for a rumor that gained such
circulation among officers, but 1t seems
improbable that the advisory board would
nave adopted such plan, far-reaching in
us etfects, to bring about a change in one
position,