The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-21

Each regiment of infantry. in the Alabama National Guard has its full complement of twelve companies except the third, in which there are only eleven companies, the company at Huntsville having been mustered out or the service several months ago. The Artillery and Cavalry organlza- tions are full. there being four batter ies. located. at Mobile. Montgomery, Selma and Birmingham. the four squad rons being at Montgomery, Camden. Selma and Birmingham.
 The companies of the infantry regt- ments are located, of the first regiment, four companies at Mobile, one each at Geneva and Dothan. Troy. Enterprise. Brewton. Fort Deposit, Evergreen, Un- iontown. T hose Of the second regiment are located two companies at MontEom- cry. one each at Birmingham. Selma, Wetumpka, Tuscaloosa. Eufaula. Ope- lika, Luverne. Tuskegee. Phenix and Demopolis. Those of the third regiment are located. two at Birminghom. one each at Woodlawn. Florence. Decatur. Bessemer. Anniston. oxford. Talladega. Jasper.
 All these organizations are thorough ly equipped and well organized and in efficient condition. having recently re- CtlNGu lulA bQuAPhANhN NAAe1N PhtS hAA~AAA on a footing with the regular army.
 The companies at Decatur. Huntsville and Jasper were criticised just after the disbanding of Camp Jelks by the recommendation of the Lieutenant Col onel Mcconnell commanding the third regiment at that time. He recommend ed that they be mustered out for in- efficiency.
 The Governor, on recommendation of the Military Board. to whom was re- ferred the action of the commanding officer, gave these companies ninety days probation. The time expired on November 3rd. In the meantime Huntsville was mustered out. the cir cumstances of which are fresh in the minds of the public. The captain of the Jasper company, Cecil Lacey. has re- signed and the condition of this conn pany was caused by the prolonged ill., ness of the captain, being unable to give 1t proper attention. Lieutenant Lomax M Smith having been elected Captain, 1t will probably measure up to requirement. in inspection and be- come under the new commanding off, cer. one of the best organizations in the regiment.
 Captain Long has brought the De-
 
 no one doubts that he will be con tinued on a show down.
 The inspection of these companies will. doubtless, be postponed by the Governor until the regular inspection of the army officer and the Adjutant General which, under the ruling of the Secretary of War. must be com pleted before May. and must in conse- quence be held sometime In March or April. In the meantime they will put themselves in readiness for the ordeal.
 The question of junior lieutenants in the National Guard is attracting some attention. and several vacancies in the junior first and junior second lieutenantcies have been filled by cleo tion in Battery D at Birmingham and Troop A at Montgomery.
 While 1t is true that the State law gives the Governor the privilege of discretioR that portion Of the State allowing these additional officers in his law conflicts with the regulation of the regular army and as a matter of course is no longer in force and effect, S the regulations of the army have been adopted by the Alabama National Guard, and the constitution provides that the legislature in providing for the organization, euipment and dis cipline of the militia, shall conform nearly as practicable to the regu- lations for the government of the arr mics of the United States"
 These additional officers then, not being known in the regular army. have no place in the National Guard. for they would not be recognized by the United States army organizations, and fin any regular service would have no standing. They could not draw pay on such an occasion as service in Camp Jelks last summer.
 Ii has been suggested, however, that Battery D and Troop A should have them. as long as other similar organ izations have them and that will be done as 1t seems to bO fair and just 10 ails coDeerned.
 Lieut. Col. Hughes B. Kennedy. re- gently elected to that position in the Sd Regiment, has gone to work in earn est to revive an interest in that organ ization and is taking steps to bring it up to the very highest state of eT- cheney
 The companies of that Regiment arc made up of much of the flower of the National Guard of the State and with an officer thoroughly tFqined in mili-