Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-11
SAYS ITS NONSENSE
Col Burpee Says There is Noih' ina to Talk About (. N. C.
 Going Out of Busidess. .

Colonel l.. F. Burpee was asked to- day for an expression regarding the fear expressed in some quarters that the state militia has been leglslated out of existence. This feeling is particularly felt by the members of the staff of the adjutant general of the militia. Colonel Burpee is a member of the board that was ar- pointed last summer by the gover- nor to consider the question of re- organizing the national guard in order that it should come up to the stand ard required by the United States militia laws. He did not care to say any thing about the report of the con- mission, but acknowledged that he has been requested by Governor Woodruff to appear before the attor- ney general and answer any objec- tions that might be made to this re- port, and also that upon the request of Senator Stiles JudsOn of Stratford the hearing had been postponed to November 13.
 All this talk about the whole state militia being Iegislated out of eXis- tence," Colonel .Burpee said, was nonsense. For years the militia of this state has by law consisted of all nale citizens between the ages of 15 and 43 years. not expressly exempted, and the active militia has been or thn otnt EnnWn as the Connecticut national guard. The organization has been changed by law from time to time, but It has never been wiped out. The section of the statutes which now provides for that organization is 3004 That section. as it appears in the revision of 1902. was enacted in 1901. After the United States congress passed the so called Dick bill, in 1903, the Connecticut legislature amended that section by providing that the COnnec- ticut national guard should consist Of not more than $500 enlisted men and the required number of officers, to be organized and disciplined as pre- scribed by the militia law of the United States. That amendment be- came a law May 15, 1903, and it has not since been repealed or altered in any way. Subsequently, the adjutant general of this state proceeded to or ganize the national guard to make ir conform to the requirements of the United States militia law. This was effected m 1903 and 1904.
 "Afterwards, in July. 1905, certain superfluous sections of the statutes relating to the organization of the national guard were repealed. Those sections were 3006. BOOT. 3O)S,' and 30O9 Other sections were amended Section 3004, with it's ample prOvis- ions for the existence and organiza- ton of the national guard was not dis | turbed. Its sweeping provisions re quiring the national guard to be or ganized as prescribed by the militia law of the United States. made the sections which were repealed super fiuous, because the United States mill l tia law provies all that is necessary | for brigade. regimental. company and battery officers. The amendment of section 3004. made in 1903. cleared the way and gave the authority for the proper organization of our national guard. Nothing is said about regi- ments or brigade organizations. If they should he required or seem de- sirable. the United States law pre- scribcs how they shall he organized | There is no foundation whatever. for any anxiety about the continued cY. istence of the Connecticut national 1 ot1ord "