The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-24
RUSHED THROUGH HOUSE
THE ARMY REORGANIZATION BILL.
AMENDED AND PASSED.
An Important Measure for the In
crease and Reformation OF the
Military Establishment.

remain in session, as was expected, and the
bill will not go to the President until next
week. Some fear was expressed on the
Democratic side that the bill might In
crease the regular army in time of peace,
but an amendment prepared by Bailey
which removes all doubt on this score was
accepted by Mr.. Hull and the bill passed by
unanimous vote. The bill reorganizes the
army into three-battalion formation and au-
thorizes the twenty-five regiments Of the
infantry arm of the service to be recruited
up to total of 81, 800 enlisted men, 1t au-
thorizes the recruitment of the ten regi-
ments of the cavalry arm of the service to
total of 1900 enlisted men, the seven regi-
ments of the artillery arm of the service to
16,457 men, and the engineer battalion Of
five companies up to 752 enlisted men, in
Guiding two noncommissioned officers,
which makes a total for these four arms
of service, when at a maximum strength,
of 61,010. The increase of officers provided
for in the bill is:
First-Twenty-five majors as provided in
the first section Of the bill. These majors
are to be permanent addition to the COM
missioned officers Of the regular army
Second-One hundred and fifty commits
stoned officers to provide for the two in
fantry companies in the third battalion for
each of the twenty-five regiments of in
fantry.
Third-Eighty-f second neutenants, be-
ing one for each of the eighty-four bat
teries Of artillery when recruited to a war
strength. The second lieutenants are only
to be added in the discretion of the Presi-
dent, but assuming that the extra lieu
tenants is necessary and will be commits
ci@,
ing total of commissioned officers in ex-
cess of the number authorized by law 259.
OF this number, as above stated, twenty
five are majors for the permanent second
battalion, and the other 234 officers, it is
provided in the last section of the bill, shall
on the conclusion of hoStilitieS be either
absorbed by filling any vacancies existing
in the other companies of the service or by
an honorable discharge as may be deemed
necessary, to reduce the commissioned Off
GERS of the army to the number now pro-
V1ded for by the first section Of this act.
IMPORTANT PROVISO.
The House met at 10 o'clock and Mr.. Hull
Immediately called up the army BILL The
bill had been materially modified since It
was recommitted by the House fortnight
ago. The following important proviso was
offered by the committee as an amendment:
Provided that in the event Of a call by
militia Of the country. the President is au-
thorized to accept the quotas of troops of
the various States and Territories, includ-
ing the District of Columbia, as organized
under the laws of the States and Territories,
including the District of Columbia"
1t was decided to limit the general debate
to half an hour. Mr.. Hull briefly explained
some of the features of the bill. He said
the infantry force of the army, as at pres
ent organized was not efficient in time of
war, with only fifty privates 1t placed but
twenty-five men to each company in the
fighting line and made the regular army
which cost on a peace basis, $23,VO0OO0 per
annum, merely ornamental. The number or
privates in each company had been placed
IN the bill at eighty-four, to conform with
tho organization of the National Guard in
was the purpose OF the general of the army
to effect a landing in Cuba at the earliest
or two months to equip the volunteer army
The United States was doing what no other
country on earth would dare dot was not
going into the war without provision for
land force. Congress made no provision for
war until war was at hand. Our volunteer
army would be organized while war existed
Our experts on coast defenSeS said 1t would
be absolutely impossible to place volunteer
forces upon the coast defenses within three
months, owing to the complicated character
of the new machinery on the siege guns.
This made the increase in the regular artil-
lery force imperative.
Mr. Hull was besieged by questions as to
the manner in which the reduction of the
army would take place when hoStllltieS
ceased, and he explained that the officers
of the skeleton regiments would be absorbed
by promotion.
MI. Underwood Dem. Ala.) vigorously
opposed to the measure, which, he declared,
could not possibly pass, save under the
stress of war pressure.
Mr.. Hay Dem, Va.). who warmly advo-
Gated the bill, denied that the purpose OF
the bill was to give West Point officers COM
mands which they would otherwise not OBJ
tain
Mr.. Cox Oem., Tenn;), member Of the
said, would make the army efficient in time
Of war.
the committee, said, in justice to the War
Department and the regular RAINY, he would
state that the former BILL which provided
approval of neither. The bill did not pro-
vide the modes and method of mastering
out the supernumerFary ofilcerS Wnen nos .oS5
be required to accomplish this, or, possibly,
the bill could be construed as conferrlng
this authority on the President.
Mr.. Hull said there could be no doubt
about the construction of the law. The
supernumeraries would be mustered out
when the war ceased.
BAILEY'S OBJECTION.
Mr. Bailey said he thought it was not
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 perfected. 1t was strange
that an obsolete formation should have
been retained all these years. What he was
particularly insistent about was that the
supernumerary officers and men should be
mustered out when the war closed.
MIR. Dockery (Dem., Mo- pressed the same
point.
Mr. Hull finally agreed to offer an amend
ment which would make the language ac-
Ceptable to Mr.. Bailey.
Mr. Lacey (Rep, Ia.) offered an amend
ment providing that during time of actual
war promotions for gallantry on the field
may be made for any vacancies in any
grade in the army without examination and
made speech in support of his amendment
which aroused enthusiastic approval. The
provisions of the bill, he said would make
promotions depend upon seniority and. tech
meal 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 ex-
aminations. MIR. Lacey's statement that
General Forrest one of the most dashing
Conferedate officers, could hardly read and
write brought storm Of protests from the
eX-Confederate veterans
Mr.. Handy Oem., Del.) supported the
amendment Mr. Handy offered an amend
ment providing that the President should be
authorized to promote enlisted men to the
rank of second lieutenant for gallantry in
action.
Mr.. Savers Dem, Tex.) vigorously OPP
posed both amendments. He declared that,
il adopted, they would open the way for
favoritism and the exercise of political in