Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-02-01
Discretionary Authority Con-
ferrel Upon the President.
THREE AMEN D MENTS ADOPTED
Canteens md tho Safe of Liquor in
Camp Abolished = Civilians Not
Eligible ITO Engineer Corps -AtCcId,
Palmer nnd Cleveland Discussed
Mcssrs Cummings md Cannon Tx -
ciinngc Hot Shots Tho Vote.
tBy Telegraph to vlrgin:an-rnot,

Washington. Jan. 3l.-The bill to re-
organize and increase the standing ar
my to about 10000 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 10000 enlisted men
passed the House to-day by n vote or
16S to 125. This was the result of n
week of hard and often picturesque
fighting on the floor during the progress
of which the opposition compelled those
In charge of the measure to give this
discretionary authority 10 TIE Presf-
dent, and to make other notifications,
among which were n reduction of 331.
REPUBLICAN, OPPOSITION VAN
ISHES.
In consequence of these notifications
the Republican opposition practically
vanished and on the nnal vote but six
Republicans voted against the bill
Messrs. Barber (Maryland). Connolly
Illlinois), Loud tCaliforniO, Johnson
undiana), Mcliwtn (New Jersey. and
Wadsworth (New York).
This Republican detection was, how
ever, almost offset by five members of
the political opposition. who voted in
tucky), Mcclellan tNcw York;, Nc
Aleer UennsylvanD. Taylor (Ala-
bama), Democrats, and Skinner pop
ulst, North Carolinm.
The galleries were crowded through
out the day, and every member who
could possibly be heard was on the
+ floor to record his vote on the final roll
CALL
PROGRAM SMASHED.
The program to-day Included provis-
Ion for two hours of general debate,
which was to be occupied by AIessrs.
Dalzell, OF Pennsylvania. and Hopkins.
OF Illinois, in closing for the majority,
and Messrs. Bailey, of Texas. and Set
tie, of Kentucky. for the opposition.
But this program was smashed owing
To the failure to complete the bill un-
der the five minutes rule before
o'clock, the hour set for the vote.
AMENDMENTS
Among the important amendments
adopted before The vote VAS taken to-
day was one 10 exclude the appoint
mvnl OF civilians 10 positions III the
engineer corps, one 10 abolish canteeus
ana the sale OF liquor in camps, ana
one to strike out the provision FOR ad-
diuonai pay Tor commands serving in
the West Indies, The Philippines and
Alaska.
AMENDMENTS DEFEATED
The amendment u Mr.. Cummings.
oil New YORK, to prohibit the use ui
troops in Tie several States TO sup
press riots etc, except upon the ap-
pllcution uI The States, was defeated
by large mdJOrliy.
Mr. Cummings said there was no
question, bul that organized labor.
through the American Federation OF
Labor, ana the knights OF Labor, had
condemned TINS effort 10 increase the
standing army 100 UuO man
lhefe was no question that the rca-
son lor their acton was the fear that
this standing army might be used un-
cohSututionaily TO oppose them. Now"
ne continued. If you do mean to do ii
say So II you don't adopt this proviso."
ALTGIlLD. PALMER AND CLEVE-
LAND.
The gentleman from Illinois (Nr
CahhonD said he had referred to the
actIoil Oh Governor Altgeld, but he had
Iaileu 10 REFER to Governor John A.
Iaiiher. who had denounced the ac-
ton OF the President for sending troops
INTO the State over the protest of the
GoVernor and numbering her citizens
Inc gentleman say President Cleve-
laNd ACTON was sanctioned by the
Senate and the people. Why had the
people, IL that was the case, got rid of
nm as soon as they were able? The
president was compelled to execute the
I""o VI NoHbleSS enacted. Congress
had the power to enact this provision
Ihe United States judge who had sent
DebS 10 prison for contempt had been
promoted within few months. Every
thing indicated that the army was to
be used to Cypress labor if opportunity
offered or if corporate wealth demand
ed it,
THE LAW COVERS ALL.
lie was not 4 lawyer or banker
he was II trades union man, n member
of Typographical Union No. 6. What
he desired was that the members of
the House should so on record upon
his amendment
Mr. Cannon replying, said that before
men were lawyers or bankers or print
ers they were American citizens and
the law of the land like the grace of
God. covered all. CAppiause) The one
green spot in the record of President
Cleveland had been that when he saw
the law dehed, not by labor, but by
lawbreakers, he had kept his oath and
had seen that IL was enforced
Mr. Cannon aroused tumultuous an
plause when he declared that Mr.. Cum
mings in seeking TO make labor the
abettor OF lawbreaking slandered labor,
He denounced 1t as cheap demagoguery
Mr.. Cummings said he honored Presi-
dent Mckinley because he was unlike
Mr.. Cleveland. When recently, during
the riots Governor Tanner declined to
order out the militia, said he accord
ing to the argument of the gentleman