Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-02-01
ARMY REPRESENTATION BILL.
Passed by the House-The Bills Provisions
as Finally Passed.

Washington, d. c., January 31.-The
bill to reorganize and increase the
standing army to about 100000 men,
but giving the President authority to
reduce the size of infantry companies
and cavalry troops to sixty men each
thus fixing minimum of about $4,000
enlisted men, passed the House to-day
by vote of les to 125.
This was the result of a hard and
often picturesque fighting on the floor
during the progress of which the oppo-
sition compelled those in charge of the
measure to give this discretionary au-
thority to the President and to make
other notifications, among which were
a reduction of 331 in the number of
staff officers
In consequence of these notifications
the Republican opposition practically
vanished and on the final vote but six
Republicans voted against the bill,
Messrs. Barber, (Maryland); Connolly,
(lllinois); Loud, California;; John
son, (lndiana); McEwan, New Jer-
sey), and Wadsworth, New York;.
This Republican DETECTION was, how
ever, almost offset by five members OF
the political opposition who voted in
favor of the BILL Messrs. Berry, (Ken-
tucky); Mcclellan, New York;; Me-
Aleer, (Pennsylvania) Taylor, (Ala-
bama), Democrats, and Skinner, (Pop.,
North Carolina.
The galleries were crowded through
out the day and every member who
could possibly be there was on the floor
TO record his vote on the final roll
call. The programme to-day included
provision for two hours of general de-
bate, which was to be occupied by
Messrs. Dalzell, of Pennsylvania, and
Hopkins, of Illinois, in closing for the
majority, and Merrs. Bailey, of Texas,
and Settle, of Kentucky, for the oppo-
sition. But this programme was
smashed owing to the failure to COM
plete the bill under the five minute
rule before o'clock, the hour set for
the vote.
Among the important amendments
adopted before the vote was taken to-
day was one to exclude the appoint
ment of civilians to positions in the
engineer corps, one to abolish can
teens and the sale of liquor in camps,
and one to strike out the provision for
additional pay for commands serving
in the West Indies, the Philippians
and Alaska. The amendment of Mi
Cummings, of New York, to prohibit
the use of troops in the several states
to suppress riots, etc, except upon the
application of the states, was defeated
by a large majority. The motion to
recommit with instructions to report
back the minority substitute only
commanded two Republican votes and
was lost. 117-170.
The bill as passed provides in addi-
ton to the general officers and staff
departments for twelve regiments of
cavalry Of twelve troops each. IA
coast batteries. q field batteries, 80
regiments of infantry of IL compan-
| les each, a corps of engineers and one
| regiment of engineers, an ordnance de-
partment and a signal corps, the lat
ter with 625 enlisted men. 1t also
| gives the President discretion to re-
cruit the organizations serving in
| Cuba, Porto Rico and the islands of
| the Pacific, in whole or in part from
| the inhabitants thereof.
Before the House adjourned to-day
| the river and harbor bill was formally
| called up in order to make it the un-
| finished business in the committee of
| the whole.