The San Francisco call., 1898-04-24
Passa9e by the House of the Bill to ReOr9aniZe
 the Army.
Maximum Strength of the Four Arms to Be 6l,OlO, and Extra Officers to Be Retired
 After the War.

1 of the skeleton regiments would be ab-
 sorbed by promotion.
 Underwood (D) of Alabama vigorously | opposed the measure, which, he declared, | could not possibly pass save under the | stress of war pressure.
 Hay (DD of Virginia, who warmly ad-
 vocated the bill, denied that the purpose
 ot the bill was to give West Point off, | cers commands which they would other wise not obtain.
 Cox D) of Tennessee, a member of the l committee supported the bill, which he
 said would make the army efficient in | time of war
 Marshall (R) of Illinois, also a member of the committee, said that In justice to the War Department and to the regular army, he would state that the former bill which provided for infantry companies
 of 250 men. met the approval of neither: The bill did not provide the mode and method of mastering out the supernu- merary officers when hostilities ceased. Additional legislation would be required
 to accomplish this or possibly the bill
 could be construed as conferring this au- thority on the President.
 Hull said there could be no doubt about
 the construction of the law The super
 the war ceased
 Bailey said he thought it was not a very high compliment to the army to be
 told that the inefficiency of the army on the eve of war was admitted. After thirty years of peace 1t seemed to him that the plans of the army to meet an emergency should have been perfected It was strange that an obsolete formation should have been retained all these years What he was particularly insistent about was that the Supernumerary officers and men
 should be mustered out when the war closed
 Cookery O.) of Missouri pressed the
 same point. Hull finally agreed to offer
 an amendment which would make the language acceptable to Bailey
 Lacey (R.) of Iowa offered an amend ment providing that during time of ac- tual war promotions for gallantry In the
 fleid may be made for any vacancies in 1 tion and without regard to seniority | Lacey made a speech in support of his 1 amendment. which aroused enthusiastic
 applause. The provision of the bill, he said, would make promotions depend upon seniority and technical skill Such
 officers as Custer and Sheridan, if the war should develop such, would be handi-
 capped Fighting ability should be re- warded, not ability to pass examinations.
 1Lacey,s 1 E statement that General Forrest,
 hcers, could hardly read and write.
 brought a storm of protests from the Confederate veterans.
 Handy D) of Delaware supported the
 amendment. Handy offered an amend ' ment to the amendment providing that
 the President should be authorized to pro mote enlisted men to the rank of second lieutenants for gallantry in action.
 Savers (D) of Texas vigorously op-
 posed both amendments. He declared | tllhl' II dtuODlSu, they would open the
 way for favoritism and the exercise of political influence
 Both amendments were voted down without division. Then, at 1l:55 a. m.
 without completing the consideration of the DlIl, the House took recess to attend
 the funeral of Senator Walthall
 The House reconvened after Senator WalthalIs funeral at 12:50 D. m, and re-
 stunned the consideration of the army re- organization bill.
 Settle (D) of Kentucky offered an
 amendment providing that the provision authorizing the President to accept ouotas 6 or troops Of the States as organized by the laws of such States shall not take away from the Governors of the respect I've States their rights to determine how 1 the quota of the States may be furnished unteers." O
 The amendment was defeated. An amendment offered by Bailey was adoDt- ed, which provided that the army at inc end of the war should be reduced to n peace basis by the transfer in the same arm or the service or honorable discharge ! under such regulations as the Secretary l or War may establish" of supernumerary l commissioned officers and men, The amendment removed practically all the Democratic opposition to the bill. Kind (DD of Utah offered an amendment which was rejected, which provides trnt the act should expire by limitation at the end of two years. Without further
 amendment the bill was passed without division.
 The remainder of the day after 9 o'clock was devoted to eulogies on the life
 and public services of the late Senator
 Earle of South Carolina, and as a further
 mark of respect the House at 4:45 D. m. adjourned. ---