The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-21

the Dill should be construed to prevent
companies and regiments from select
ing their own officers. The power to
select officers to fill vacancies, he said.
would be an incentive to enlistment.
The tyrannous discipline Of officers, he
said, was more dreaded by soldiers than
the bullets and bayonets OF the enemy.
Mr.. GrOSvenOr (Rep., o. vigorously
opposed the amendment. It's adoption,
he said, would SOW a seed of sin that
would grow up to death. IF 1 decided
to make the army which was to fight
this war a caucus of war politicians"
said he, Il would adopt that amend
ment.'
REASONABLE OBJECTION.
Mr.. Grosvenor referred to the expert
ence of the late war, which. he said,
was against such a system. More than
one-half of the officers enlisted at the
beginning of the war had retired or
been retired within a year or two on
account of their unfitness.
Mr.. Pearce (Dem., MOI took the same
view. The election of officers was de-
structive of discipline and efficiency.
Mr.. Talbert challenged this state
ment, and referred to the experience OF
the confederate army.
This drew from General Walker
(Rep., Va.) the statement that his exc
perience in the confederate army had
taught him that an army that elected
its own officers was wholly inefficient.
He declared that all men were not
brave. While all men would fight if
properly disciplined and led, many
could not be counted upon in the hour
of danger when inefficiently differed.
The Linney amendment was de-
feated.
An amendment was adopted provid-
ing for a chaplain for each regiment.
IN n 9cr1f n fa1 Il
ing that regimental and all other medi-
cal officers should keep daily records
of all officers or men sick or wounded,
and that upon the disarmament of the
organization, they should be filed in the
records of the pension and war depart
ment.
POWER OF GOVERNORS.
Section 10 was amended so as to pro-
vide that the governors of states. in
stead of the president, might appoint
officers in the regular army to the
grade of field officers, in the volunteer
army, such appointments to depend
upon the consent of the president.
Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the appro- .
priation committee, offered as an adj
ditional section an amendment provid-
ing that all government employees
called into the military or naval SER
vice of the United States, while in SER
vice, SHOulQ Dc SIdHlcu lSdNC VI dO-
sence, and upon honorable discharge,
should be entitled TO resume their en-
ployment at the same pay, and it also
provided, where necessary, for tempo
rary appointments to fill vacancies.
Mr.. GrOsvenor opposed the amend
ment. 1t might be necessary, he said,
at some time to offer such an induce
ment to secure enlistment, but with
II, 900, 900 able bodied men there was no
reason why these favorites of the gov
eminent should be shown additional
favoritism.
CIVIL SERVICE HUMBUG.
Mr.. Cannon said there were letter
carriers, clerks and others in the pub
lie service who were anxious to enlist
in the volunteer service, and they
should be allowed to do so.
Mr.. Faris CRep., Ind.) said the amend
ment was the legitimate outgrOwth Of
the civil service humbug. This propo-
sition contained the biggest bounty
ever contemplated in enlisting soldiers.
The amendment was defeated.
The bill was then passed without d.
vision, and at 5:15 p. m. the house ad-
journed.