The record-union., 1898-04-24


present number authorized by the law
Of 2o9. OF this number, as above stated,
twenty-five are Majors for the perna-
nent second battalion, and the other 235
officers. it is provided in the last section
of the bill, shall, on the conclusion OF
hostilities, be either absorbed by filing
any vacancy existing in the other COM
panies of the service or by an honorable
discharge, which may be deemed nee
essary to reduce the commissioned Otii-
GERS of the army to the number now pro-
vided for by the first section of this Act
The House met at 10 o'clock and Huh
Immediately called up the army bill. 1t
was decided to limit the general debate
to half an hour.
Hull briefly explained some of the
features of the bill. He said the infantry
force of the army as at present organ
ized was not efficient in time of war,
with only fifty privates. 1t placed but
twenty-five men to each company in the
lighting line, and made the regular
army, which cost, on a peace footing
S23, ,000,O0 per annum, merely orna-
mental The number of privates in eacn
company had been placed in the bill
at ~, to conform with the organization
Of the National Guard in the majority
of the States. Hull said that it was
the purpose of the general army to ef-
feet a landing in Cuba at the earliest
possible moment 1t would take six
weeks or two months to equip the volun-
teeT army.
The United States was doing what
no other country on earth would dare
a
vision for a land force Congress made
no provision for war until war was at
hand The volunteer army would be
organized while war existed. Our eX-
perts on coast defenses said it would
be absolutely impossible to place vol
unteer forces upon the coast defenseS
within three months. owing to the COM
plicated character of the new machin
cry on the siege guns This made the
increase in the regular army artillery
force imperative.
Hull was besieged by questions as to
the manner in which the reduction Of
the army would take place when hos
tilities ceased, and he explained that
the officers of the SIX, ,etOn regiments
would be absorbed by promotion
Underwood (D) of Alabama vigorous
ly opposed the measure, which he de-
clared could not possibly pass save un-
der the stress of war pressure.
Hay CD of Virginia. who warmly
advocated the BILL denied that the pur
pose of the bill was to give West Point
officers commands which they would
otherwise not obtain.
Cox CD of Tennessee a member of
the committee, supported the bill, which
he said would make the army efficient
in time of war
Marsh (R.l 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 infan-
try companies of $50 men. met the ap-
proval of neither. The bill did not
provide the mode and method of mus
tering out the supernumerary officers
when hostilities ceased. Additional leg
islation would be required to accom-
plish this or possibly the bill could be
construed as conferring this authority
on the President.
Hull said there could be no doubt
about the construction of the law. The
supernumerares would be mustered out
when 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, it seemed to him
that the plans of the army to meet an
emergency should have been perfect. 1t
was strange that an obsolete formation
should have been retained all these
years. What he was particularly in
sistent about was that the supernu-
merary officers and men should be mus
tered out when the war closed.
Dockery Cd of Missouri pressed the
same point.
Hull finally agreed to offer an
amendment which would make the Ian
guage acceptable to Bailey.
Lacey (R.) of Iowa offered an amend
ment providing that during time of
actual war promotions for gallantry
in the field may be made for any va
cancies in any grade in the army with
out examination and without regard to
seniority"
Lacey made a speech in support of his
amendment which aroused enthusiastic
applause. The provision of the tiil, 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
handicapped Fighting ability should
be rewarded, not ability to pass exam
nations.
Iacey's statement that General For
rest. one of the most dashing Confeder-
ate officers, could hardly read and
write, brought a storm of protests from
the Confederate veterans.
Handy Dem) of Delaware supported
the amendment
Handy offered an amendment 70 the
amendment providing that the Presi-
dent should be authorized to promote
enlisted men to the rank of Second
Lieutenants for gallantry in action.
Sayres (Dem) of Texas vigorously
opposed both am endment3 He de-
clared that if adopted, they would open
the way for favoritism and the exercise
of political influence.
Both amendments were voted down
without division.
Then, at 11:55 a. M, without COM
pleting the consideration of the bill, the
House took a recess to attend the fu-
neral of Senator Walthall.
The House reconvened after Senator
WalthalPs funeral at $3.50 .. M. and
resumed the consideration of the army
reorganization bill
Settle Dem) of Kentucky offered an
amendment providing that tie proVi
sion authorizing the President to accept
quotas of troops of the States as or
ganized under the laws of such States
shall not take away from the Govern