Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-02-15
DOG IN THE NANGER
THE GAME CLEVELAND IS
PLAYING.
OUR NAVY TO BE THOROUGHLY
EQUIPPED.

l. - - - -
An Army ONCE Revived Bree History
OF The Grade. Other Cap.tai News.
Special Correspondence.
President Cleveland is playing the
dog in the manager game He has told
his democratic friends in the house that
be does not like the bill introduced by
eX-Speaker Reed. aud will not consent
10 any such plan To relieve the present
stringency. He insists that a measure
similar To the one outlined IN his recent
message to congress should be enacted
into law. That such bill will not pass
the house is certain. Chairman Springer
of the banking and currency committee
and prominent members of both parties
are willing 10 agree upon compromise
bill, but the edici from the executive
mansion that nothing different from the
bill outliped by the president will meet
his approval. viii prevent the passage
of a compromise measure
Cleveland sent another message TO
congress Saturday last, announcing an
other bond issue of S62, 100, 900, for the
purchase of gold coin amounting 10 a
sum slightly in excess Of $4,000, 600,
which sum, the president says, added TO
gold coin now in reserve, will amount
to something more than 100000, 900.
In this message the president gives con-
gress smart rap when he says: In
the judgment of men especially charged
with this responsibility the business Sit
uation is 50 critical, and the legislative
situation so unprOmising. with the omis-
sion thus tar on the part of congress to
beneficially enlarge the'powers of the
secretary of the treasury in the premises,
as to enion immediate executive action
with the facilities at hand" The gold
is to be obtained abroad, which, the
president says, lis a very important and
favorable feature Of the transaction
Since the gold is'to come from abroad,
the interest on the bonds will be pay
able abroad and to parties whose only
interest in the United States is centered
in the money they can make out OF 1t.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
government is almost financially dead
broke" the work of strengthening our
naval equipment will continue. Battle
ships come high, but we must have
them. A battle ship costs 81 600, 600 to
build, and 5000 600 year are needed
to keep it in condition for service. The
secretary of the navy favorS the use of
those mighty active little destroyers
torpedo boats, and reioiccs because con-
gress is disposed TO allow him carte
blanche in the matter of their building
Mr. Herbert calls attention TO the fact
that while the United States has but six
torpedo boats. three OF which are not
ready for service, France has PA such
boats. and is building IL more: England
has 1856, and 90 under way; Germany
has l27 of them ready for service, and
will bnild "a many more; Italy is build
ing 10 of them. and has - IN excellent
condition; 1913 of them are in service in
the Russian navy, and I more will be
built at once; Jaran has 26 in use and
is doubling her fleet Turkey has 50,
Argentine %. Chile %, and Spain "a,
and all these nations are adding 10 this
branch of their service.
The rank of lieutenant general in the
army. which lapsed with General Philip
Sheridan. has been restored and con-
ferred upon Mai. Gen. John NJ. Scho-
field. The rank of lieutenant general
was created by congress May %, 1898,
and George Washington was appointed
in July following, and held this rank
until March 3, 1893, wi en- an act Great
ing the grade of general Of the armies
of the United States, aboliShing that of
lieutenant general, was approved The
grade of ''lieutenant general by brevet'
was established February l5. 1865, "in
acknowledgement of the services Of
major general in the war with Mexico.
with the provision that having been
once filled and become vacant the res
olution establishing it should expire and
be of no effect, and Mai Gen. Winfield
Scott was appointed "brevet lieutenant
general" to rank from March 20. 1917.
This rank was not revived again until
February 80, 1864, when Gen. Grant
was appointed to the position, which
rank he held until July %, 1869, when
he nominated Gems. Sherman and Sher-
idan for appointment as general and
lieutenant general respectively. July
10, 1870. congress passed an act abol-
ishing both these offices when a vacancy
should occur in the same. The last
lieutenant general Of the army was Gen.
Philip Sheridan, who was promoted 10