Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-04-02
CAPITAL CHAT.
Poor Prospect Of Gen. Dicks
National Guard Bill.
The Appropriations for the Coming
Year at Togus Home.
Decision Affecting Maine Publishers
Expected, April 2.

washington, MdTcn Sl.-(Spec1aD.-
The proposed reorganization of the
militia of the United States, urged by
the National Guards of the states,
Maine included, does not progress very
rapidly in Congress. 1t is doubtful if
the elaborate bill becomes law at this
session The committee on militia, of
which Representative Dick of Ohio, is
chairman, has recently made a favor
able report on the bill and it is on the
House calendar. But such an impor-
tant subject will demand extensive dis
cussion and it is questionable whether
the House will care to launch upon 1t
for the present.
Then there is considerable hostility to
the bill at the Senate side of the Cap
itOl. The views of the part the Guards
men should play in warfare are diverse
among senators. However. there are
some strong friends of the bill in Con-
gress. Gen. Dick will try his best to
get it considered in the House. In the
course of a Congress or two some such
measure will probably be enacted into
law. But more or less extended agita-
ton is necessary to force such legisla-
ton upon the statute books and the
work that the friends of the National
Guard are doing in presenting the adj
vantages of such an efficient organiZa
ton of the militia will in the long run
have it's effect.
The sundry civil appropriation bill,
just reported to the House of Repre-
sentatives. carries an appropriation Of
$4,000 for the salaries of employees at the
Green Lake. Me-, fish culture station
and $4,000 for the salaries Of the en-
ployes at the Craig Brook, Me-, hatch
cry. The superintendent of each of
these hatcheries receive $500 year,
but the number of subordinate en-
ployes at Green Lake is larger than
those at Craig Brook.
1t is expected that Fish Commissioner
Bowers and John w. Titcomb, in
charge of fish culture in the commits
sion here. will take a trip to Maine be-
fore long. lir. Bowers will probably
have to do SO to look into the trouble
over securing the site for a lobster
hatchery at Boothbay Harbor, because
some of the heirs to the property there
have refused consent to it's sale. Mr..
Titcomb will go along to get a general
view of the fish Matching stations, as he
is n new man. recently come here. and
needs better knowledge of the sta
tions that come Immediately under his
charge.
The same appropriation bill carries
a total of $29S. 275 for the Soldiers Home
at TOgus. The estimates for the COM
ing fiscal year. beginning July 1, 1902,
and which the appropriation covers,
were S335.2s5. The appropriations for
the present fiscal year were $2S1, 900,
from which it will be seen that the
Home gets, under the bill, $50 more
than it has for the present year.
The totals for the Togus Home are
made up as follows: For current ex-
penses, $32 300. an increase of $780, for
subsistence. $1SO45O. an increase of
$3.50: for household, $5S, $50, an increase
of $3.50; for hospital, $33,O25, an in
crease Of $3025; for transportation of
members. $500: for repairs. $24,3SO. an
increase of $3.50; for new boilers. $500,
an increase of $3.50; and for the farm.
$14. 400. 1t will be noticed that these
appropriations are in almost every in
stance an increase over the appropria-
tons for the present year, which is very
largely due to the efforts of Repre-
sentative Burleigh, who urged the
necessities of the Home and of dealing
with it just as literally as the govern
ment could afford. There is little doubt
that these appropriations will become
law as provided in the bill.
The indications are now that the omni-
bus public building bill will be reported
to the House about April Is That is the
Dill which will carry whatever appropria-
lions for public buildings in Maine the
House committee can give the State. The
hearings on various projects for this bill
have only been recently concluded. Rep
resentative Burleigh, member of the
committee. has been there almost daily
listening to the requests of various COM
munities over the United States for ap-
preparations to build a custom house, 4
court house or a post office.
Maine may get more in the Senate, in
the way of public building appropriations.
than the House is willing to vote. AS 1.
will be omnibus bill. the Senate will
have opportunity to amend the bill. There
CONTINUED on page 81