New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-14
v,vAL PERSONNEL BILL UP
>o,r THE HOUSE AT LAST WITH
FAIR PROSPECTS OF PASSAGE.
PROPOSED SETTLEMENT OF THE LINE AND
rr coNrRovERsY-THr pFsATE
ON THE BILL


rr roNTRovERsy-THE DEBATE
ON THE BILL
-rrrcRAru TO rur rnrnrNrl
Ton 1s-At last. after years az aoor-
Wasule and unsuccessful effort the d" 10
uc ,,vA and increase the enicienVy " -
reo'sf the Navy and Marine 'orPs mas 80
SOM" before the House OF henresen'aNee o'
oroueh' AZ. ana With a fair prospect OF laVor-
considera'io" -, ,ey DAYS ago there appeared
able ae danger that the measure would fali
20 oe ,o~,elative breakers and be leit SUI ahueu.
ann" ANY, nuots in charge OF II are no" nope'u' Va
ou osther and safe ana prosperous o'e
"a =. them realize that there Is oanser ~
some - ~. committee amendments 10 be onereo'
era OF ~ ,r.nI,, "a nrovoke considerable opposi-
when "" - .,ass a, the House but they hope TOT
ton on ootn s'ues -
the best . s,v rras onened by
-. 81 Illinois. in favor OF the measure As
%, .,.o.n 81 the subcommittee which spen, months
.,rg q, on the basis OF the recommendations
IL Noval Board Of which Theocore hoosoNoi"
o. secretary OF the Navy. was CHAIRMAN
AZ, ~ d,s.ing uished and experienced naVa' oii-
. No,,1Ie. Crowntnshield. sampson NcCoi-
IT, ryans Hemphl, Wainwright aio o'"e''
H i -.a,hers Mr.. Foss was prepared 10 so' 20
49, ,rs House in a clear. forcoie ana i,'ei'se"'
tanner the provisions or the o'i GU ~ Let
me-. ~ favor Of their adoption. Suen an eApoS'-
fne"'' 80. snbiect and that made by Mr. Dayton
~, virginia another member OF the coin'''''-
o. ,,o-A not only timely but exceedingly neces-
- h.cause the long and bitter neh' oe'"ee"
',,,a and staff of the Navy. -which mas oee"
c.6 Cor years had produced a eooo ueai Va w, -,
.son and no inconsiderable amount OF DISCUS, III
los'V" =, congressman, and many OF them mad
s.oonne calous and incinerent' ~,
~ 1ou Of New-York who served IN the Navy
~ . portion Of the Civil War, and IS someWha.
.u,o- with naval matters, criticised anu opposeu
,ha proposed amagamation Of the me anu me
r,roar corns and in so doing he prooaoly re-
s. ~ ,,iews not only OF a large majority OF
ne IT, ofacers but also OF a number o, other
nnbars Of the House. several OF whom IKE MINI
.sf have had some experience IN the Naval ser
80 Nearly everybody appears TO suspect OF rear
that only truce instead OF permanent 80 =.
- has been agreed 10 between the partisans Of
- NrA and staff respectively and that 1t may
s 80 ended before the pending bill can run
t,s santlet IN both branches Of Congress
Mr. Foss EXPLAINS THE BILL
r,sAr N. special order adopted on Monday the
xzousa went into Committee Of the Whole with
HOPKINS tRep.- Hi in the chair. and pro
Saa "a consider the Naval Personnel bill.
Al o,,Arots 70 fix the time for the close Of the
-, Aahat - failed. and Mr.. FOSS (Rep., I'D, IN
eharpe OF the BILL took the floor with genera
srS,nent in support Of the measure since 4oN-'
30 said we had devoted ourselves 10 building
new Navy but little or no attention mao oeeh paid
"a the pexsonnel Of the Navy. Men were as I'M
sor,on, 81 ships The basis OF the present bill was
An arafted by board OF naval officers, at the
~a - ubioh was the Assistant Secretary OF the
N.vv Theodore Roosevelt and composed OF ON
.srs ~ the line and staff After II was preseh'eu
o. The Committee on Naval Affairs year ago. ex-
..nsivA hearings had been given, and as result
- ,,.s,,gat,on the committee last May had
r,aad m the pendng measure which was SUD-
.tsnt,auv the bin drafted by the Board This pro-
rosed change in the personnel or the Navy was
A,o,utonarv he admitted but It was necessary
% vasn mace with the wonderful evolution IN the
construction and nature Of modern Warships'
mfr Foss said that the Nays greatest experts
today IN several branches Of staff Work were line
necs-, The increase In the number OF officers
nrovided bv the bill was nnety-nine One nun
sred and ninety-eignt additional vessels had been
ACQUIRED during the with Spain. Most OF THESE
OF course, would be disposed Of, but some OF them
would be retained. Besides. hfty-hve ships were
now under construction These vessels must be
oficAred Under The amalgamation plan more off,
GERS would BE- required than under the present
system as any officer could be assigned 10 duty IN
the eneine-.oonn or OIL deck.
Mr. Foss gave notice that he intended at the
proper time 10 offer amendment 10 aooish
prize money in the Navy. The experiences ano les
sons Of the war had strengthened every line IN
the pending bill. Engineer officers had frequently
The voluntary retirement feature also rein
forced by the experience Of the war Its purpose
was to give Vfficers command rank at forty-hVe
Dewey was sixty at Manila. but he had command
rank al thirty-four. and 1t was his twenty-five
years Of experience in command that made him the
brilliant victor at Manila. The same was true OF
Sampson schey Clark Evans and the other great
sea captains Of the late war.
OPPOSED TO AMALGAMATION.
Mr.. LOW CRep.. y. y opposed the amalgamatior
Of the line and the Engineer Corps. Their duties
widely dssinilar. he said. and the efficiency
Of the service would be promoted by tneh
amalgamation. officers OF the line and staff M
SAID had agreed" 10 the pending bill because o.
advantages it contained. but they did not approve
the proposed amalgamation. and in support Of th
statement he read the testimony OF Captain Crown
inshield and 9th rs before the Naval committee
Mr. Low said he believed in specialized service III
advantages had been demonstrated In the late Wa
when the engineer OF the oregon had been able u
force that ship in pursuit Of Cervera's fleet beyon
her rating
Mr. DAYTON REP W. Va followed In supper
Of the bill lie said the people Of the country wer
In sympathy with and hearty In support OF ever
proposition which would tend TO strengthen IN
Navy and increase its efficiency MI Dayton sai
that Captain Crowninshields position relative I
The bill mad been nisrepresented. He sent 10 IN
clerks desk and had read a statement from tina
ohcer In which the latter said that all MS Oppose
ZION 10 the bill would be removed by the adopuo
% an amendment providing that stan oincers sha
not be entitled TO command except In their ow
corps That amendment would be offered. M
Dayton said Mr.. Lows opposition was due 10 IN
prejudice OF the old Navy. in which he served IN
Navy had made progress since the days OF IN
civil War This bill had the support OF De"e
and every prominent officer OF the line and stan
Mr. SIMPSON pop. Kan) said the bill SCENE
70 him measure for giving naval officers large
salaries and more honorable station
MI BERRY dem. Ky) warmly supported u
Dill In the course OF his remarks Mr.. Berry mac