The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-26
BOTH SIDES BLUFfED
PARTY LEADERS HAVE REEN AYX-
IOUS TO AVOID AN EXTRA :. ,
SESSION
ALGERIsM is NOW WANING
The Evil Days Have Come to the
Secretary of War, and There Is
No Political Health, In Them
No Need for Calling COngress-
ArmOr Plate--Status of Soldiers
Revenue Figures. ey

/
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25.-(Special.)
There was considerable bluff1ng dur
Ing the past week over army reorgan-
iZation, which would have been more
effective had not each side, in "a. way,
shown It's hand Pass the Hull BILL"
the presidenet threatened, cor I will
call an extra session." Call your old
extra session., the minority replied,
land take the responsibility. And
yet it was apparent all the time that
the leaders on both sides were anxious
for congress to finish up it's work and
| get away. Hence, the compromise
that has resulted was anticipated. Sen
ator Proctor prepared the way by his
proposal that staff appointments be
from the line and only for the term
of years. This appealed to the thought
full of both parties, to whom the idea of
permanent staff, appointed by Alger.
is an abomination. Its favorable Re
ception was an object lesson to the
president, telling him that, extra ses-
sion or not, the Hull bill, in it's en-
t1rety, could not be passed.
/ Hull, it must be understood, has
stood for Alger in congress. When,
two years ago, Speaker Reed appoint
ed Mr.. Hull, of Iowa. chairman Of the
committee on military affairs, there
was no comment except that a respee-
table, but not eminent, man had re-
ceived a respectable, but not eminent,
position. Mr.. Hull had served three
terms in congress and, therefore, was
entitled to a minor craftsmanship. and
such it was supposed he received; for
ordinarily the committee on military
affairs has had nothing more impor-
tant to do than to report the conven-
tional details Of an army appropria-
ton bill during the piping times Of
peace.
But the Spanish war forced great
ness upon Mr.. Hull. Members saw,
with much disquiet, the committee on
military affairs vastly magnify in
work, without any corresponding
growth in it's constituent parts. 1t
cannot be said that Mr.. Hull has risen
to the occasion, except to sit down
again. From the first he antagonized
many, fully as patriotic as he. through
his persistence for an enlarged perma-
nent establishment. From the first,
his ideas have been those which the
bureaucratic clique of the war depart
ment instilled into the receptive vac
uum of the secretary of wars mind.
Now, in the closing days Of his impor-
lance. he sees the work Of his hands
torn asunder and patched beyond rec
ognitiOn.
ALGERISM WANING.
All this will be aloes to Alger. but
then his figure is waning in the phos-
phorescent light of decayed beef. The
evil days have come to the secretary
of war and there is no political health
in them. Even his complaisant war
commission censured him for not hay
ing that complete grasp Of the -situa-
ton which was essential to the highest
efficiency and discipline Of the army"
Gen. Miles. he is forced to perceive,
through the confederation that dis
tinguished officer is daily receiving
from the testimony before the court Of
inquiry, is out Of his reach-in fact,
miles above him. Congressman by the
score have refused to share the dis
credit Of accompanying him on a
junketing trip to the tropics to inspect
what he has not done. And now it is
said. though not yet believed. that the
president has intimated that his chair
| would be preferable to his company.
Pity the sorrows of a poor old man!
1t is hard to have ratified around so
noisily, enduring the consequent
thumps, and to bear away the dubious
distinction of having so intrigued that
Eagan has received more substantial
reward than has yet been suggested
for Dewey
CONGRESS CAN CONCLUDE.
With the army bill out of the way,
congress can easily conclude all neces-
sary legislation before the fourth Of
March. The census bill Is now in con-
ference and so is the navy personnel
bill. Such appropriation bills as re-
main are so far advanced as to be
capable Of settlement in short order.
Hope is even expressed that in the last
hours those highly important meas
ures, the shipping subsidy bill, the
Alaskan code and the Hawaiian ter
ritorial bill may be enacted. When 1T
really becomes necessary to act with
out talking, it is surprising how much
can be done.
There is even some chance for the
public building bill, that sanitarium for
political futures; for the house commit
tee on rules has agreed to set apart
a day for it's consideration. The sem
ate. in view of this cheering prospect,
has reported favorably on public build
ing bills in addition, aggregating in
amount more than one million dollars.
When the senate fails to increase an
appropriation it will have lost it's cum