The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-06
THE LINE or THE ARMY
hevarious Projects for Its REORGANIZATION
Gradually ConbinInr and TnkiuE shape.

Gradually ConbiDInr and Taking shape.
WASHINGTON, July At begins &c look
az II definite outcome might be expected
from tho numerous schemes for rcconstitut-
Ing the military establishment. We have had
during tho last half dozen years the Logan
bill the Steele bill, tho Wheeler bill, tho Man
derson bill, differing widely. These succeeded
the old Burnside reorganization bill. and havo
been accompanied by othor measures when
need not DO specially mentioned There have
also boon bills dealing with particular staff do
partments, proposing to increase their work.
ing force or to improve them in other ways.
One great ster was taken in separating the
measures relating to tho staff from those relat-
Ing to the line. since tho two did not donend
upon zach other and were founded on distinct
considerations and principles, so that the sue
cess or failure OF the one ought not to ahectthe
fate oil tho other Wo now lind tho stan reor-
Eani2ation bills clnssod by themselves, tho
most important being tho Cutoheon bill, which
aims 10 increase tho Importance OF the In
spe"tor- Generals Department As to the line,
1t soon became evident that two projects had
secured special favor. One was that OF In
crcasing tho artillery arm: the other that Of
giving to tho ipiantry u twelye.company or
gHni1atlOn. The argument Tor tho former
project was the growing need OF larger arg, Enr ,I
latter WIS tho tactical advantage OF the three
battalion system, and OF uniform orEanl1a-
tion in the three arms.
The first practical result ut the present Sos;
sion was seen In tho passage by the House of
Tho bill INCREASING the artillery from i've regi-
ments to seven. This was effected the more
easily since the number OF First Lieutenants
so that tho surplus o!lIcors wore available as
Captains Or First Lientennnts in the new r9G ba
transfer OF enlisted men in such a way as to
avoid increasing the maximum liked ny law
ThS SGns'f M,T b has aaed tho
not a surprise, rs the Senate hns passed
the bill introduced by senator Alanderson.
Observing this action. the llopse Military Com.
measure. init oduced early In the session. but
hitherto kept in allegiance. This adopts the plan
OF seven artilerY reSiments anu twoifo COM
additional changes OF great Importance, IL Is
generally expected that the senate will pass
Wien VIII nri GOES back to the House the latter may
amend it by substituting the now measure Just
SPOKEN of finally that conference commit nnns
The artillery bill provides for seven re ,E,
eiGhty-four batteries In all. The extra enlisted
force may bs obtained bS transfer from any
eo oF 81 sods in ono Of the new regiments
part of these could como from the Ninth and
Tenth CayPry and the tW yen M" fl
twelve compantes OF infantry in tho Senate
amendment invites an increase in the number
each infantry regiment would give iitty now
companies In NIL. At only fny men for eacn
compa9Y which should be snS mhi nna fhe
pre- sent limit Is broken ut all, additional men
may be asked Tor the twcnty.four new artillery
crease o; the enlisted force from, 25.oJO e
$O;;o9n: and thiS IS what the Henderson Oil
As TO the officers, under the artillery bill
passed. by the House, Lieutenant. CoII9nelLs
would become Colonies. 4 Majors would would pc pc
Majors. "a Fret lientenants wonld be Gap.
tains. > Second I.leutenants would be First
would have 10 be appointed All these pro-
motions would occur among artillery officers
aone But unaer tho M9nderSo Ib "meq pi1ngs
as 30 Captains would be made Majors 100
First lientcnants, taIftans; l3Q second lieu Il
tenants. First LlcutenNnts; and 2OO additional
Second Lientenants Introduced ,.uo,o
Would the House agree 10 such an increase
Tho plan would furnish vast amount OF
patronage rs nearly all the $50 new infantry
| Second Lieutenants would come from civil lie
| md the President would nominate them. Bnt
under the MandOrson amend ment alone the
| promotions would involve about slu4l20 a
year IN increase OF pay tho pny OF ne 60, ad Nh
more or 1854 100 in tho aggregate. The new
enlisted force. even at $500 only. would cost
making an annual nodtion no oil ~ n,G3
| OnlcerS the increased annual cost would be
! apparently over Sl,SuO,Ouu. .
! The new House measure, urged by Mr..
| Wheeler finds an ingenious way out Of the diff
nculty. Retaining the maximum OF enlisted
! mon exactly rs now. it authorizes the Pres :
| dent TO consolidate the number in. each regi-
| ment into number OF companies propor-
| toned to the number OF officers on duty with
| the regiment. As there are constantly numer-
Qua officers on detail. this might really give
| eight OF ten companies, for duty, even with q
| twely e-cOmpanr organization. still, this does
| not appear to lie the ideal solution. One
simpler way might be to heEin BY turning
| tho infantry and ono Of tho cavalry col"red
regiments into the artillery. Unfortunately
| that would not give the desired promotions
! either in the artillery or elsewhere. Possibly
| q safer plan might DO TO pass mo artillery bill
alone this year leaving the infantry amend:
! mont the question of the increase OF enlisted
! men and tho elaborate Wneoler hll Tor an
| other session. Still, much will depend on what
! tho Senate does