Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-05

20 Indefinitely postpone the bill relaI-
ing to he appointment of SURVEYORS in
real actions was also lost BY Il vote OF
u to 6.
In TIL House Thursday bill wai
presented by Representative HAIL Of
Carbon providing FOR III, rrorganiza :
tiol of the National Guard Of Maine.
This liil k; one OF two measures, which
W iii como before the committee on mil
ltary affairs al the present session. The
i;tll Hill is the draft prepared by Capt
Samuel " Ansell. sth INIT, L. S. A., who
"as m G#ty III Maine last summer rs
n!iii'ar, instructor and who was made
a N lnler OF a National Guard board
of revision appointed last year. Sine +
tho receipt Of the draft Of the bill pre-
scented by Representative Halt was IL
ceved by Adjutant General Farn,lam
the co!onels commanding the two leg
iment" of infantry in this State have
suggested important changes and these
changes VIII be embodied in draft 10
re presented later. Thus the commit :
tee on military affairs will bc able 70
understand just how the two bills differ.
The general plan Of revision socks t.
bring the militia law of Maine into har-
mony with the new Federal militia
law. which is popularity known as the
Dick law. Both bills provide for the
organization Of coast artillery. for NOR,
efficient discipline and control by com
pany battalion. and regilncntal 2cm
mandprs and for closer correlation bt To-
tween the staff corps and the line, but
1 Oh
in infantry organizations Sweeping
changes are contemplated In regard to
the staff corps. particularly in the mat
ter OF rank. The Ansell bill reduces
tie rank Of adjutant general from ma
jor general to brigadier general. re-
duceS the rank of Inspector general
from brigadier general to a major the
surgeon general from colonel to lieu
tenant colonel and makes all other
heads of staff departments majors. r.
provides that the four aides de camp
Of the Governor who are now Iicuteu-
ant colOnels shall be temporarily de
tailed from the active officers of the
National Guard with the nominal staff
rank of captain and further provide,
That the military secretary, now ma
Jor. shall be made q captain and that
the office shall cease to exist after The
present incumbent has served his usual
term. The Lii makes these changes in
rank operative upon the passage and
approval of the bill. 1t is understood
that the draft. which is to come will
provide for most of these changes in
rank, but will not make them opera :
tive until the Inauguration of the new
-l,,,ir, iA-t. ~
Both bills provide that all other star
officers shall he appointed from the ,ac-
tive list of the National Guard. Both
bills will provide for the regular pro-
motion and retirement of all commits
stoned officers after a certain term OF
service in any one grade.
In the Senate Thursday Senator
Hamilton of York introduced an act
providing for the appointment OF a
water storage commission. The act
provides that the Governor with the
advice and consent of the Council is
authorized to appoint three citizens of
the State, one of whom shall be a civil
engineer. who together with the
Governor and the State Land agent
shall constitute commission to be
known as the Water Storage Commits
sion.
The civil engineer shall receive a
salary of $500 per year but the other
members of the board shall receive no
salary. but shall be paid their actual
and necessary expenses incurred in
the performance of their duties. The
office of the commission shall be at the
State House and the board may APP
point a secretary, who shall be paid Mt
salary not to exceed $500 per year.
The commission is authorized and
directed to devise plans for the pro-
gressive development Of the water
powers of the State under State
nHNnerchin CONTROL aud III n