The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1904-02-12

awful exigency which this community
now faces. At this meeting, besides
the mayor, there were present influ-
entail members of the state law-mak-
ing body, the board of public works,
dozen bank presidents, former Gov.
Smith, United States Senator-elect
Rayner and several Of the leading citi-
zens.
The supreme question to be decided
was that of calling upon the national
government for soldiers to take the
places of the two state militia regi-
ments now doing police duty in the
burned district The constitution Of
Maryland requires that no such re-
quest can be made Of the president
except by authority of the state legis-
lature. The legislative committee was
present to hear the views Of the may
or and officers of the city on that
point.
A brief discussion showed the be.
| lief of those present that this is not
a time for sentiment as to the ability
of the state to take care of itself and
that the United States soldiers were
needed and needed at once.
On this score it was shown that the
militiamen were already much ex-
hausted by their long continued SEN
try duty, that they should be relieved
so that they might return to their sew
eral vocations and that the militia on
active duty is costing the state $780,
600 a day
Mayor McLane was particularly in
sistent that to efficiently guard the
hundreds of millions of treasure that
lie buried beneath the smouldering
ruins called for the strong arm of the
federal soldiers. The announcement
of the legislative committee that it
would recommend at once the immedi-
ate passage of the necessary resolution
was received with pleasure by the Of
fcers and the business men present
and now that the legislature has form
ally acted there is every assurance
that a national Gordon around the de-
vastated region will inspire a feeling
of hopeful confidence in the future.
Mayor McLane's announcement that
lAS Will oppOAAC al SCANy SO1u-
mittee of citizens to act as an advi-
sorry board to municipal officials is a
great step forward in the way of put
ting the situation upon a practical,
business-like shape.
There is no doubt that within the
past "a hours the business men of Bal
timore have been aroused in an ex-
traordinary degree to the Importance
of doing everything possible to keep
their trade advantages from slipping
away. Merchants and bankers have
been comforting on this subject and
the prevailing conviction is that it will
require the utmost vigilance to pre-
vent the detection of a considerable
volume Of commerce to Philadelphia
and New York. 1t is believed here
that the situation may be saved if the
debris can be cleared away and tenn
porary buildings erected within four
months. That a large percentage Of
the spring trade will be lost is newt
able, but there is set resolution
among Wholesale merchants that the
percentage shall be as small as pos
sibIe.
The opening Wednesday of the board
room by the chamber of commerce and
the receipt of quotations, the uninter
rupted shipments of grain cargoes,
the certainty Of state aid and the noti-
fication by some of the large insur-
ance companies of their readiness to
pay so per cent. on losses, and the
action Of the legislature in asking for
federal troops, constitute chain of
incidents which have contributed ma
confidence and cheerfulness.