New-York tribune., 1880-04-09
WHAT CONGRESS Is DOING.
CONSIDERING THE ARMY BILL.

srNAroR KRLLoGG's CASE BEFORE DEMOCRATIC
cAucUs-A MOVEMENT FOR NEW BANKRUPT
1Aw-HARLEM RIVER CONTRACT.
The amendment TO the Army bill, to prevent
che use of troops Oh election day, will give rise
70 vigorous debate in the House; bill In the
Senate to place nOn-cOmmissiOned officers on the
retired list Of the Army awakens considerable
onrosition The Democratic Senators have
held caucus to decide what shall be done in
the proposed attempt to steal Mr.. Kellogg's
scat; no decision was reached. new Bank
rupt law is proposed, and bill drawn by Judge
Lowell for that purpose is said to have many
commendable features. immigration is re-
ported to be rapidly increasing. A memorial
In regard to the Harlem River Improvements
was presented to Congress yesterday.
PROPOSED ARMY LEGISLATION.
rnE ATTEMPTS or LAST SESSION TO RESTRICT THE
USE OF THE ARMY TO. BE REPEATED-RErIRE-
MENT OF NON-ComMissIONED OFFICERS.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIDUNE.l
WASHINGTON, April S.-The House has begun the
consideration of the Army Appropriation bill
md made considerable progress. The Military Com
mitee has offered as an amendment to the DILL the
restrictive clause contained i'll the bill OF last session
prohibiting she uss Of troops rs police force 10
keep the peace at tie polls.
At an informal meeting of the leading Republicans
of the House recently, 2 it was agreed that
this amendment should he strenuously resisted
If the eight Democrats who voted with the Repub-
licans sometime ago against fastening poil'lcai
"tiders" upon appropriation bills should hold out,
This amendment will probably he defeated
The discussion on this point is likely to be an ear
nest and lively one.
IF the Democrats in the House would live up to
the bargains they made they would get along bet
ter The other day, when general debate on the
Army bill was closed, it was agreed that wien the
amendment regarding the use of troops to keep the
peace at the polls was offered an opportunity 10
debate it should be allowed. To-day when, alter
long discussion. Mr.. S. S. Cox, as chairman OF the
Committee of the Whole, had ruled the ainendmcnt
10 be in order, and the Republicans demanded that
the agreement should be carried out the Democrats
as usual tried to repudiate their promise An hour
was wasted and then the House adjourned without
coming to any decision in regard to the matter. VI
course the Republicans will have their own way at
last and get all the time they want for debate but
the Democrats seem unable to allow any oppor-
tunity to break pledge TO escape them
A measure is pending in the Senate and was
discussed at some length during the morning hour
Tuesday, providing that any person, not com
missioned officer, who may have served IN the
United States Army thirty years. fifteen years OF
which service shall have been us non-commis-
stoned officer, may upon application be retired
with pay upon the same basis as commissioned
officers are now retired.
sharp opposition to the measure has been de-
veloped; not, apparently for any want of sympathy
for the soldiers, but in consequence Of the we'll
grounded apprehension that this. like all previous
measures providing rewards for faithful military
service beyond the pay and emoluments OF the rank
of tho person interested, will prove to be the sharp
end of the wedge which will make breach out OF
which means will be found TO draw millions from
the Treasury. 80 -:
Senator Conkling, although expressing no opinion
mon the merits of the bill. asked its promoters
what aenment they would advance in support
of IL Which would not serve equally as we'll III ad-
vocacy of measure to pension sailors ana Marines
and even civil servants of the Government.
Mir Beck protested in vigorous terms against the
passage of tue measure, reminding the senate that
he was one of the four Senators who voted against
the Pension Arrears BILL measure now quite geneT-
ally condemned Senator Logan. Senator Burnside
and Senator Maxey the foremost advocates OF
the bill.