The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-02-17
THE ARMY BILL.
II Was Reported to senate Yesterday
and Passage Urged.


Washington, February l6.-1he army
reorganization bill was reported to the
senate today, and MIR Hawley of Connec-
ticut, chairman OF the military affairs
com mittee gave notice that he would
move to proceed TO its consideration at
the earliest possible time. He said that
the committee wssi.evenly divided so that
an agreement had been reached to report
two measures one by each division OF the
committee. He pointed out that the
peace treaty which already had been rati-
iied by the Senate would be ratified, per
haps by Mar Oh 18th, by the Spanish
Cortes and the Two countries would then
he ready to exchange Publications. The
situation then, he said. would be serious
Us existing law gave the PRESIDENT no 81
Tentative but required HIM to discharge
the volun teers from the service and to re
duoe the regular army. from about 81, 600
to ~, 00O men. such discharge.nnd reduc-
ton would be thesimperative duty OF the
President de regarded this as one OF the
greatest crisis in the history Of the coun
try and in pressing the bill TO passage he
was aotuated only by what he regarded
as the imperative demands OF the present
situation.
MIR. CoekreIl OF Missouri. speaking for
the other five mem bers Of the military
affairs committee, presented written
statement, In the nature OF minority
TcDUIt. llt utCthTtu emu ub oho ehSe'
for.whom he spoke were opposed to an I'M
necessarily large increase inithe army
He regarded the authority given the
President by the bill reported to reduce
the army to so, 975 men as virtual con-
fession that that number would be sum
cient for the army. Mr.. Cock reii ssid
that he and thoseswho believed with him
hadlno desire. disposition or intention to
withhold from the President all the men
and money he might need. He referred
tn the action of himself and his associates
In upholding the hands of the President
prior to and during the war with spain
and allufed to the fifty million aapproprla-
ton as an "Unprecedr nted act.
He then said that he was Wiling 10
have a bill enacted which would anord
the President ample power The Dill ne
proposed provides within IA blank NUMBER
of days.that the volunteer force now IN tne
service be mustered out ana discouraged.
that the act of April 20, lses, be continued
In full force till July !, 1901, and that the
President be authorized to enroll mill
tary force of IS, 000 men in the islands OF
Cuba. Porto Rico and the philippines,
these troops to be ofnoered as the fresi-
dent may direct. restricted In service 10
their respective islands and not To ne con-
siderei q part OF the permanent mihtAry
establishment. -,
continue the military establishpaent at
about 3d. 900 men and In addition would
afford the President an additional force
of rs, OHO men from the various islands.
This force would be absolutely at the
disposal of the President until peaceful
conditions were restored in the various
new possessio ms Of the United States.
Thel naval personnel bill was taken up
and read. but no effort was made 10 pro-
coed further with it's consideration. The
military academy appropriation bin was
passed. The post office appropriation bill
was under consideration during the
greater part of the afternoon, but was not
disposed of finally. A spirited debate oc-
Cured over the amendm ants Of the Sen-
tion to secure fast mail service between
New York and Washington and Atlanta
and New Orlsans The amendments
were retained in the bill. ~