New-York tribune., 1899-02-16
THE ARMY BILL IN PERIL
A STRONG COMBINATION OF DEMO
CRATIC SENATOR'S AGAINST TT.
IT'S PASSAGE EXTREMELY DOUBTFUL IN
THE BRIEF TINE REMAINING POSI-
RLITY OF AN EXTRA SESSION.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBrxE.l

THE BRIEF TIME RtMAIN INfI-PDSSl-
BlLTrY OF AN EXTRA SESSION.
lBY TELEGRAPH THE rRiBrNE
Washington. Feb 15.-The tie vote cast to-day
In the Senate Committee Military Affairs on
the question Of ordering favorable report on
the Hull Army Reorganization bill is calculated
10 revive alarmst talk about the threatened
failure Of that measure in the Senate and the
consequent necessity OF calling Congress to-
gether again next month I'm extraordinary ses-
sion to furnish means for the Administration TO
hold and govern the possessions transferred 10
this country by Spain IN the Treaty Of Paris.
For several days the Military Affairs Committee
has found Itself In a state of deadlock, one Re-
publican Senator. Mr.. Proctor being absent in
Cuba without pair and the other ten mem
bers. five Democrats and five Republicans, being
evenly divided on the HUH bill
PROSPECTS IN THE SENATE
This afternoon. after a second session Of the
committee It was agreed 10y both sides to allow
the chairman Of the committee. Mr. Hawley TO
report the House measure TO the Senate without
recommendation. MIR Cockrell at the same time
submitting any substitute Legislation which the
Democratic half Of the committee might prefer.
The net result Of the struggle IN the committee
has therefore been that the Hull bin will come
before the Senate just fourteen working DAYS
from the close OF the session and that its pas
sage can be secured only by forcing all other
business aside and carrying on IN its favor
campaign Of long hours and unrestng parlia-
mentary watchfulness.
In hts speech In the Senate on February +.
just before the Treaty Of Paris was ratified Mr.
German Indicated mis- purpose to make. If pos
sible. the permanent enlargement Of tn" Army
the chief issue I'm the campaign which the Demo-
cratic party is to wage in 1900 10 recover me
Presidency. In this purpose he has the cordial
support Of MI Jones' OF Arkansas. chairman or
the Democratic National Committee, Of MI.
Cockrell the leading minority member OF the
Military Affairs Committee, and Of the southern
and Southwestern wing Of the Democracy gem
orally. With only two weeks left OF the short
session. it seems easily feasible for combina-
tion of such strength and determination 70 pre-
vent a vote on the Hull measure. and II the sue
cess or failure Of that particular bill is 10 meas
ure the necessity Of an extra session. It is by no
means unlikely that the two houses Of Congress
will have to resume their sitting shortly after
March 4
DANGERS OF AN EXTRA SESSION.
on the other hand now that the Treaty OF
Peace has been safely ratified it is thought here
that the President will hesitate seriously about
reassembling Congress unless the eXlgency ~
one Of overshadowing Importance. To call the
two houses together again would be 10 thro"
omen the whole field Of legislation TO expert
ments Of doubtful political value or utility to
invite agitations Of all sorts based on half-ac-
ouired knowledge Of conditions In the countrys :
new possessions. and possibly to provoke par
tisan and selfish efforts to interfere with ana
alter the Governments policy in the west
Indies and the Far East That without the
massage Of some legislation maintaining the
strength of the Army at adequate hgure and
increasing it's present force Of officers the Gov
eminent will be put 10 serious emDarrassmeht III
the next twelve months goes without saying
But until II is developed what compromise the
opposition under Mr.. German and Mr. Cockreil
mas 10 offer II Is by no means safe 10 say lhal
the Republican leaders in the Senate VIII accept
the burdens and annoyances OF an extra session
rather than abate their purpose TO pass the HUI
bill as IL stands in spite Of all obstructive op-
position. The prospect in the Senate is certainly
not assuring for comprehensive and intelligent
Army legislation yet the situation Is not so des-
perate that an extra session may not yet be
avoided by careful and judcious leadership.