The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-12-24
ARMY REORGANIZATION BILL.
Iss Consideration In Committee Completed
n the Measure Ordered Re-
ported to the House.

Washington, Dec. 21.-The house
committee on military affairs COM
pleted consideration of the army reor-
ganization bill yesterday, and ordered
it reported to the house. The most inn
portant changes made were those fix
ing so years as the age limit for ap-
pointment to the several staff corps
and adding a new provision for 100
army dentists with the rank of first
lieutenant.
Many Changes in Rank In the Stan Corps
Many changes in rank were made in
the staff corps. In the judge advocate
generals office the colonies were fixed
at five instead of two as first
proposed. Provision was also made
that new appointees be given the lower
places.
In the quartermaster's department
the colonies were reduced from ten to
eight, and the places of lower rank in
creased.
In the commissary department the
force is increased materially from h a
first contemplated, particularly in the
lower grades, the captains being in
| creased from 81 to 81.
There is an increase in the rank of
the engineer department, the lieuten-
ant colonies being increased from Is
to 20, majors from 25 to sc, and cap
tains reduced from 81 to Al.
In the ordnance department the
changes are toward the increase in Of
fcers of higher rank.
The provision allowing 25 per cent.
extra pay for service in the outlying
islands was made to include Alaska.
Tho Age Limit for Appointments.
The age limit of so which had been
fixed for appointments to the judge
advocate, guartermasters, commissary
and pay departments was amended sc
that the age limit will not apply to
those who served in the civil war or
the Spanish war or to officers now in
the regular army.
A new section was inserted making
the chief of the record and pension Of
fee a %brigadier general, with an as
sistant having the rank of lieutenant
colonel.
Section IS of the Hull bill was
struck out entirely. 1t limited the
age of appointeesa as second li%eutenants
under the provision of the several acts
and also placed an agelimit of 40 years
OIL chaplains.
In the pay corps AZ majors were sub
stituted for IS majors and 81 captains
as first provided in the Hull bill. The
signal corps appointments were
opened to those from civil life as well
as from volunteers. The number of
chaplains was increased from 30 to 40.
A provision was made that the as
sistant surgeons shall pass a satisfac-
tory examination instead of cnmpeti-
tive examination, as at present.
The Final Vote on the Bill.
The final vote on reporting the bill
was S to ), on party lines, as follows:
Yeas-Hull, Marsh, Griffin, Keichum,
Fenton, Belknap, Mcdonald, and
Brownlow, republicans.
Nays-Sulzer, Cox, Lentz, Hay and
Jet, democrats.
Mr.. Marsh, while voting for the bill,
reserved the right to oppose some of
its features on the floor. The minority
gave notice of a minority report and
substitute bill.
Will be a Minority Report and a Substi-
tute Bill.
Five days were given for the prep
aration of the majority and minority
reports, Chairman Hull making that
for the majority and Mr.. Hay drawing
the sub-bill and report for the demo-
Gratis. The main feature of the substi-
tute bill will be a standing army linn
tied to that existing before the recent
and authority to the president to
enlist a large temporary force, proba-
bly, $4,000 men for services in outlying
territory.