The age-herald., 1898-03-20

on the committee thus voted affirmatveIy, together with two democrats Mitchell, of Wisconsin, and Pettus, of Alabama The negative votes were cast by senators frem Tennessee, Missouri and Mississippi.
 Before the bill was voted upon in com- f originally pfoBosedi tfs,ft that tha person to be chosen for Acknowledgement should be appointed by the .presldent by aud with th6 advice And coiisent of the senate. The word appoint was changed to ''nomi- nate" The most important change. how ever, was the elimination of the clause which compelled the president to select one of the three major-generals. This was stricken out so that the president, If the bill passes, can nominate any person. civilian, if he so desires. The resolution, as reported, reads as follows:
 Be it resolved by the senate and house of representatives of the United States or America in congress assembled, That the grade of lieutenant-general be-, and the same is revived in the army of the United States and the president is hereby author ized whenever he shall deem it expedient,to nominat and, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, to appoint lieu tenant general, who, being commissioned as such may be authorized, under the di- recton and during the pleasure or the president, to command the armies or the United States.
 Sec. g. That the pay and allowance of the neutendnt-BeneTdl elidh Oc hhO o0.sAN H7 heretofore allowed for that grade
 Efforts to Secure Promotion
 The anticipation of the appointment of Gen. Miles is foreshadowed in the report.
 The effort made by Gen. Miles to reach the highest grade in the army has been persistent ever since he was appointed 10 succeed Gen. Schofield He had hardly become warmed in his new place, so to speak befor a bill made it's appearance in congress to revive the grade of lieutenant general and give him the title, pay ana emoluments thereof. The measure recelVed the favorable consideration of the house committee on military affairs but was not passd while the endeayor in the senate met with a quietus from the then secretary of war, Col. Lamont, who addressed let ter to the senate committee on military affairs in which he took strong grounds against the passage of the bill and in con clusion, inferentially declared that Gen. Miles was not of the caliber for lieutenant general. He said:
 The present major generals of our army attained brilliant regulations for gallantry while commanding subdivisions of army corps during the late conflict, and nave added to their laurels since by ef1cient performance of arduous service upon the Indian frontier; but it is no reflection upon these excellent officers to say that the ser vices they have so far rendered are not or that exalted and exceptional character that has hitherto been regarded as prerequisite to the advancement now proposed
 Noting that the grade of lieutenant-gen- eral has not been regarded as permanent office necessary to our army organization, and has been conferred only upon few of those officers who have rendered marked service in war; that the complimentary rank when bestowed, has often been With held until long after the demonstration or this superior ability, and has only been voted as a reward of great military genius and most conspicuous leadership, the con clusion is reached that whatever the merits and promise of any officers of our peace es- tablshment who as yet have had no op- portunity to demonstrate their genius and capacity as commanders of large armies by the measure heretofore required, the ex- isting conditions do not demand it's revival at this time. Very respectfully,
 DANIEL s. LAMONT,
 Secretary of War.
 HON. JOSEPH R. HAWLEY, Chairman Committee Military Affairs,
 United States senate.