The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-02-13
ARMY REORGANIZATION.

Hh!Ill RLUhUhNlLhllUN.
An Effort TO be Made in tho Senate to
Get Immediate Consideration ofthc
Biil-Dcmocrats will Fight 1t.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. 12.-The
promised effort on the part OF the COM
mittee on military affairs TO get imme-
diate consideration of the army reor-
Ganization bill, promises TO be the most
important feature of the proceedings OF
the senate during the present week.
Lines are divided very sharply on this
| bill, and the contest over its considera-
ton will un1uestionably be beth fierce
and stubborn. The Republican, men,
bers of the committee manifest strong
determination 10 press the bill regard
less OF all other measures, and their
first effort will be to secure consent
from the committee on appropriation TO
set the appropriations aside until the
army reorganization bill can be dispos-
ed OF. They argue that It is useless to
proceed with the appropriations, espe-
cially those of the army, until they
know how large the army will be. They
l
cesslty for legislation increasing the
size Of the army than for the appropria-
tion of money to meet the governments
expenditures. Said Senator Warren. OF
the military committee in discussing
this matter:
'Thc present appropriations hold good
until the first OF next Julp. when the
! volunteer Amy Mill necessarily be dis
| banded as soon as the peace treaty Is
| siSued by the Spanish authorities. We
will then be In 4 ridiculous plight with
all our new possessions on our hands
and our forces reduced 10 such an ex-
4 tent that we will not be able 10 ever
man our guns in this country unless We
| get an increase OF the army. Ii Is ab-
| suTd 10 say that any temporary eXpe-
| dent would answer the purpose. You
cannot find men TO enlist in the regular
army at sl3 4 month unless they are
sure of steady employment"
The Democrat. not onlf' on the military
committee, bu; throughout the senate
viii resist any effort to get the army bill
through. ThcS say. however. they will
not trS. to prevent consideration of the
bill.
In speaking on this point. Senator
Jones, of Arkansas, said: 'Is the Re-
publlcans want TO take the responsible
ity Of t!ibustering against the approDri-
alton bills and OF throwing them over to
another session OF Congress. l FOR one
am willing that they should do so.''
Continuing he said that he did not be.
l!evc that the AMY bill could be passed
| II 1t should receive the exclusive atteH-
ton OF the senate for the remainder OF
| the session.
I l. I l., ,,, ..if
gr2mme for taking UP the army bill to
the exclusion OF the appropriation bills
| Is pursued both the army bill and the
appropriation bills will have 10 fail. I
do not believe the senate will agree to
the passage OF the army b!l! this sess-
ion. So far as am informed we on
this side are willing to grant tempo
rary increase or the army but do not
believe many Democrats would consent
To the permanent Increase Of the stand
Ing army
| II Is not absolutely decided that the
committee on appropriations would VOL
unfairly retire in the interest OF the
army bill. They may. however. step
| aside for Few days in order TO give
| the promoters OF the military measure
an opportunity TO test the temper OF its
| opponents. There are at present only
two appropriation bills before the SEN
ate, SO that the time for the experiment
Is not unpropitous. These are the agr!-
! cultural and military academy bills and
| both can be disposed OF In very short
order unless there should be eXtraneous
opposition to them. This Is not to be
expected except as an eSredlent 10
stand off the army bf. Much OF the
proceedings OF the last two days OF last
week was due to the expectation on the
part of some that there would be eXcep-
tlonal pressure 40 get up the army bill,
and the proceedings were intended 10
indicate TO the friends OF that measure
what they might expect in case they
should attempt to put their programme
into execution. Other opportunities will
doubtless be seized In the future for the
same purpose as long as the army bill
threatens.
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