New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-24
THE PROCEEDINGS IN DETAIL
DEBATE on AND PASSAGE OF THE ARMY REoR

DEBATE on AND PASSAGE OF THE ARMY REoR-
GANIzATION BILL.
Washington April 2}--Thc House met at 10
o'clock this morning In pursuance OF the order
made yesterday. in order TO expedite tho passage
OF the Army Reorganization bill which the War
Department deems imperativey necessary. At the
earliest possible moment
SIR. HULL diep.. Towa). chairman Of the Com
mlttce on Military Affairs. called the bill UP I'M
mcdia,cly after the reading Of the journal Tho
bin has been materially modified since II
committed by the House fortnight ago. II pro-
vide> FOR tho three battalion formation. and gives
- ~-'~'d q 90 rriva'"< - Zach Infantry company.
II authorizes twenty-five regiments Of infantry 10
i,,tul.,. ~ 10 total OF 3l.SD enlisted men In
time o. war the recruiting OF ten cavalry reEi-
mcnts up 10 700 men. seven regiments " artil-
Iery 70 total Of 1857 mon. and tho engineer bat
talon 10 ~ men, making n total maximum war
strength OK 6l.0io enlisted men. II provides that
nothing IN the nc, shan IL construed to authoriz,
q permanent; increase ~ tho commissioned or n
listed force beyond that provided hy law.
ccpi 10 tho increase Of iwsnty-h five majors Tn.
following important rovso WAS offered by the
committee as an amendment:
Provided. That in The event Of call by the
Ne country no President Is auth ,rzed to acccp,
TER tories Including the District % Columbia. -
organized Under tho laws % the State. and Terri
tories. Including the District y Columbia.
.R HrLLs EXPLANATION
7; decided nm, tho general deba,. 10
has hour Mr. Hull briefly explained some Of
the features Of The bill lie said The infantry force
Of the Army. az present organized. not
Ell, tent time ~ war. with only ntty privates
TO company. II I'a~cd only twenty-five 20
each company in tho lighting line and made the
Regular Army. which cost peace footing
80. co.po year. merely ornamental The number
OF prlvatcs IN each company had been placed In
the bin N eighty four. 10 conform with the
ganlxation OF TIE Nauoaal Guard In the majority
OF the States Mr. Huh said that Il, the pur-
pose OF the General Or the Army 70 effect land
Ing In cuba 4; the earliest possible moment. II
would take x weeks or two months 10 equip the
volunteer army The United States doing
what other country earth would dare do
II going into war without provision for
land force. Congress made no provision for war
until al hand. The volunteer army would
be organized white existed The experts on
coast defences said 1t would be absolutely impos-
sibIe to employ volunteer forces upon the coast
defences within three months. owing 10 the COM
pIcatcd character OF the new machinery OF the
siege guns. This made Tho increase In the regular
artillery fcrre imperative"
Mr Hull was bcslcgcd by questions as 70 IN.
manner IN which the reduction OF the Army would
take place when hos,litcs ased and he
pai1cd that the officers ot the skeleton regiments
would bc absorbed by promotion.
FIRST NOTE OF OPPOSITION
Mr. UNDERWOOD Dem. Ala vigorously op-
posed the measure. whi-h he declared could
possibly pass except under the stress Of war
pressure Il did not. he said meet the approval
OF the American people II was false pretencc.
II was In fact. a bill 10 increase the standing
army from 300 10 81 co. Every member on the
nocr he said had received scores 81 letters from
his constituents protecting against the Increase OF
the standing army. They willing 10 enlist in
the service Of their country. but they wanted to
serve under volunteer officers. not West Point
martines.
Nj HAY Dem. Va. who warmly advocated
the b. H. repealed charge by Hr Underwood that
Congress becoming hystericaL II" main pur-
pose OF the bill. he said was 10 obtain the three
battalion formation. For American soldiers to
confront the Spanish Army with the present forma-