The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-18
Measure Long Advocated BY Officers
of the Navy.
MARINE CORPS INCREASE
TO CONSIST OF SIX THOUSAND
MEN AND OFFICERS.
Prize Money Is Abolished and sys-
tenn of Voluntary and Compulsory
Retirement Is Provided--BaiIey Is
Opposed to Retirements-Jndge
Advocate Corps Created.

!
Washington, Jan. 1.-THE house to-
day passed the naval personnel bill
without division on the final passage,
thus accomplishing what the officers of
] the navy have striven for during more
than decade. By its provisions the
line and the engineer corps are welded
/ into an amalgamated line, staff officers
are given positive rank, but their COM
mand is limited 10 their own corps. u
/ system of voluntary and compulsory
retirement on three-quarters pay OF the
next higher rank, of forty officers
year, is established, which is designed
TO remove the congestion in the lower
ranks. The bill also practically equal
I ICES their pay with that OF army Of
ficers. Three important amendments
were adopted; one creates a judge ad-
vocate corps, another aboiishes prize
money, and a third provides for the
retirement on three-quarters pay OF
enlisted men and petty officers in the
navy after thirty years service. But
the most important change in the bill,
as reported, was the addition, after a
hard fight, of a substitute Tor the or
ganization of the marine CORDS, by
which the corps is to consist of 5000
enlisted men and petty officers, with
general officers and staff This will in
crease the marine corps by 1,S0O men,
and increase the cost of its mainten-
ance S1,500, 600.
Mr.. Loud (Rep., CALI, in some criti-
cism of the bill, said that the complaint
that naval officers under the present
system did not reach command rank
early enough was due to the fact that
there We're not enough ships. Advance
meut was as rapid in the navy as in
he merchant Sa1-riPa n
sarcastic references to the deep sea
sailors on the committee who lived in
West Virginia and other interior states.
Mr. Bailey offered an amendment to
strike out from section s tthe section
providing for compulsory ret1remenO
the provision for retirement OF officers
with the pay and rank of the next
higher grade.
Mr.. Foss said that an inducement
had to be held out to the officers TO
voluntarily retire.
Mr.. Bailey said he hardly expected
such frankness from the gentleman IN
charge of the bill. You seek, he de-
clared, Ito place a premium on retire
ment from the service. You propose to
hire men to quit in order that the lower
officers may be promoted more rap
idly. And you propose to follow this
with a similar bill Tor retirement from
arE-- service"
The amendment was lost, y to 10.
whereuDon Mr.. Bailey moved to strike
out the whole section.
Mr.. Bailey said that in principle he
opposed the whole retirement system.
The amendment was defeated, % to
81.
Mr. Southland Rep., o., on behalf CT
the committee, offered an amendment,
which was adopted. creating q, regular
judge advocate corps, to consist Of one
judge advocate general, one assistant
judge advocate, one deputy judge advo-
cate and two judges.
Another amendment abolishing prize
money for the capture or destruction Of
the eneruy's ships in time Of war was
adopted without debate or division.
MARINE CORPS INCREASED.
Mr.. Meyer Dem. Lao, on behalf of
the committee, offered Z substitute for
the sections covering the marine corps.
Under It the marine corps would con-
sist Of one commandaEt with the rank
Of major general, one bT. Gadier general,
five coIonels, five lieutenant colonies,
ten majors, sixty captains, sixty first
and sixty second ieutenants, doubling
the number Of officers provided for in
the original bill. Vacancies are TO be
filled as far as possible by seniority
from the active line, commissions in the
corps not to be vacated. Vacancies
after promotion are to be filled from
transfer from the line of the navy not
above the grade of junior lieutenant,
from those who served as second lieu
tenants in the marine corps during the
Spanish war, from meritOriOuS nom
commissioned officers or from civil life.
Only a portion of the officers are to be
appointed before Jan. l, 1900. The staff
of the marine corps is to consist of an
adjutant and inspector, d quartermas-
ter, a paymaster. each with the rank of
colonel, an assistant adjUtant and in
spector. two assistant quartermasters, !
one assistant paymaster. each with the
rank of major, and three assistant
Quartermasters with the rank OF cap
tain. During service with fleets senior
officers are to hold rank next above (
their rank in the corps. 1t provides for /
5000 petty officers and enlisted men.
Mr.. Bennett (Rep. y. y moved to |
strike out from the substitute the pro-
vision for a major general. The men
of the marine corps were scattered, he
said, and never Ino5ilized. The COM /.
mandant was simply a bureau officer
and was not entitled to the rank of /
major general.
Mr.. Meyers said that in the prepara- /
ton of the substitute the army organi- ]
cation had been followed, but on So I
licitation he accepted the Bennett 4
AiAAAis7 CIAN la EAb As'4CAi
for major general. The substitute was |
adopted. So to 50. The bill was then /
to the house.
Mr.. Steele demanded a separate vote .
on the marine corps substitute and it 4
was taken by ayes and noes and the /
substitute was adopted, 127 10 I. The |
bill was then passed without division.
CURRENCY REFORM BILL.
Mr.. AIcCleary. (Rep. Minn). on behalf .
of the banking ana currency commit /
tee. made a statement to the effect /
that the vote on the currency bill re- |
ported at the last session, had been ir-
regularly taken in the committee and .
he therefore asked that the bill be re-
committed
This does not mean that the bill is
to be abandoned. asked Mr.. Richard
son Dem. TENN.
No, sir
THE other side has promised cur
rency reform continued Mr.. Richard
son, and I would like to know if the
bin is again to be reported"
4 am neither a prophet nor the son
of prophet" responded Mr.. McCleary
Mr.. Mitchell (Rep. \. y, explained
that there had been some irreguiarity
in the vote and in order to avoid any
such show of unfairness to the oppo-
nents Of the bin this action had been
decided upon. There was no objection
and the bill was recopmitted.