New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-19
FOR A LIEUTENANT-G GENERAL.
MEASURES IN CONGRESS TO REVIVE THE
RANK
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE ARMY DEMANDS
THE REIMBURSEMENT OF THE PLACE
THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE

THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE BILLS.
washington Sent. Ia SpeciaD.-The bill to rccstab'
h the grade Of lieutenant general OF the Army passed.
the Senate to-day. About the same hour an uhsuc'
cessful attempt made in the House 10 Cali up i
consideration a smilar measure IL Is s'a'cu '""
Mr. Cannon, as chairman Of the Committee on hppro'
prations objected to the present consideration oi Ic
bin because OF the amount Of money involved. Inc
increase Of pay of a Northumberland over that "a
major general 70 which grade the proposed selection
is confined is $500.
1t easy to reconcile the position OF ut 'aii
non I'm this case with the favorable shpd ina. "o
took ON the bill transfer the Weather Bureau from
the C ntrol Of the War Department to thai OF the De-
partment Of Agriculture This transfer Involves inc
additional expenditure OF at least ScOOOO per ahhi'
However General CutcheOn, chairman OF tho House
Committee on Military Affairs. hopes that nc ca" pc
suadc the Committee on Rules to give HIN recognition
for the purpose Of calling up the senate Dill lor o
alteration. To obtain consideration however, Nf
Uuires unanimous consent, SO a single ob]ecuoh VIII
ruin the chances OF the bill being dlsposed Oh ,hs
session The House bill prescrbes that the choTc OK
the lieutenant general shall be confined TO the grun
OF major. general the as the Senate DILL Out a"o>
that the number of major. generals snail 10 'u",'u
from the present number OF three to two ~ as"
adds that the pay shall be the same as 'hat Oh d
major-Seneral. This provision. II adopted "ou'u ""'
alter tho present imperfect organization wmcn IL IS
souch, IN remedy bv the creation OF the once OF
lieutenant. general The Army is now without legally
recognized head. although the sound military prhcipn
upon which II Is organized imperauveIy de'na""S .''
such place should be rc-establishcd. INC orH"nN~
tion OF the Army is that OF corps darmee wiz" %
n corns comrosed generally Of two divisions OF IN
,n+rr and m. ndepcndcnt division OF cavalry. with
the proper force Of artillery Each DIVISION y .uO
divided into two brigadcs There arc now six Drgaoer
generals who each command brigade. ana tnotc a'o
three major generals who in turn commAhu '"'
visions OF the Atlantic, Missouri ana racine. va
these three major generals. one. General schohcia'
has been assigned as the general comiha'."i".
+,a Army IIe Is also still in command OF
the Division OF the Atlantic and consequently
there must continually be recurring oonhlct OK ouy
which can only be oLviatcd by the appointment "
lieutenant. general who would be in command OF inc
whole corps.
II Is obvious that the Senate bill IS superior 10 .a
Of The House. II there Is a desire on the part u,
Congress 10 maintain the symmetry OF INC Pes''''
orcanzation however. there Is some reasoh' HIS
,nrc,v for the plan embodied IN the latter measure
nurinp the late war there were several armies III Inc
ecld each OF which had two or more corps ana ea'"
wa, under the command Of major general. l"cre
was not then acknowledgement to each CORPS a.'
therefore one Of the generals was assgcu 10 'e
command OF the whole corps. III "dS OH l''> P'""
upon which the volunteer troops were orgalhA' una
the Ion,e Commit on Military Anair' mas a'H"
During the war II was conclu>ivcV dchoh'''aF" '"'
,h ,,ou, was had and the strife and jealousy that
ora hound 10 occur lctwccn officers OF equal RANK to
attain command Of the various armies leu I" many u"
fortunate disasters. The President was commahderiN
chief and he was empowered to appoint ~ Ills us
crcton any one of the major generals OF corps as INC
general i'm command Of tho particula! army l"i-
system was full Of impcrfertions, and did n" worn
smoothly till the close OF the war. IL Is CONSUMERS
nv cxpcrts in military circles that such system should
moi he DcrDet uatcd i'll the Regular ARMY
In regard to the question Of pay, which IL inc oa"'
n, the oppo,itio Of Mr.. Cannon. there Is secuoh
tho Revised Statutes which determines the Niauv'
rank bc,ween the officers Of the Army and Navy I'M
c,,,vc rank of lieutenant general In the Army IS ih'
same a, tina, Of raradmral IN "e INV
consequently il, would be an invidonS DISTINCTION "
70 establish the grade OF lieutenant general WIN
provision that hi pay be the , ,SH a. Of rear I'D
air. dr !, Is an Interesting fact that Conge', since
co,. Of the war ,s I paw pine the hrr grade
,h,t cryire while proo,i 10 relatively high Iade,
in The Amy has hcen confined 10 s' ct ,h "
,n.in of about seventeen 10 III favor OF inc "'n
There i, an understanding that General Srhoirl'
will lee appointed to the place when the bili b"roh'e
, i,,- although no such prov sion l. embodied IA II
,ud il wa> I,ron this understanding thar the DrihW I"
,"1 MECCA nri"s hr rI ny other ere or"r IN the Army
r. DenCr,tIc: hut at no time has he demonstrates
pronounced partisan-hp. Consequently nc j., ~ -
popular with the Republicans as with '"c'n'e's =" III
The grade Of lieutenant general va. ar.t held b.
nrd upon the elevation Of sheridan to the rank o
general In August n l-oo. These On,c, W III.
| held the rank Of general. but that grace unu T,u
General Sheridan and it las now become the Iccoenn
policy Of Congress TO permit that hEh once s
dormant ill emergency shall arse which VIII "an
necessary IL, revival. There Is sOund reason III uii
pol.cy. and IL carried out there will not again be
repetition Of the unfortunate circumstances whh Wer
encountered during the carly period OF the i"'e wal