The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-02-16
IAN EXTRA SESSION
President Mckinley Puts Party Leaders
in Congress on Notice.
ARMY REORGANIZATION BILL
Must Be Passed II Members Would
Avert the Extra Meeting,
OBJECTIONS RAISED TO COCERELL BILL
Administration Says No Temporary Meas.
ure viii Be Satisfactory.
MILITARY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE IS Tied
The Result Is The Hull Bill VIII nc
Reported without Rccommenda-
ton either WAY.
OBJECTIONS RAISED TO COCERELL BILL
Administration Says No Temporary Meas.
ure Will Be Satisfactory.
MILITARY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE IS TIED

Washington. February i5,-1he presi-
dent has conveyed assurances TO some %
| the party leaders in congress, In addition
TO those given last week, that no Will
certainly call congress together In extra
session II 1t fails TO pass the army re-
| organization bill at the present session.
| In answer to repeated Inquiry the adj
| tninlstration has been obliged to decline
all propositions looking TO the tidins over
of the needs OF the army by passing
Joint resolution simply extending tho APP
preparations ON the basis of the present
| organization. holding that this device
would be utterly inadequate TO meet the
| absolute necessities of the case rhs
status of the volunteers would IL is said
be extremely unsatisfactory and there
would be absolutely no assurance thar
the president could retain them in sot-
vice when the emergency Is great The
same statement would apply 10 the regu-
lar army soldiers who enlisted for the
war.
very serious objection 10 the JONI
resolution programme, too, according 10
4 o war department officials would be It's
failure 10 supply the staff and Hne Of
lcers absolutely needed These officials
say that the pending Hull bill provides
for Just SO original appointments OF Soc
end ieptenarts. and 1t is declared TO bc
the policy of the administration 10 give
these places among the States and Terri
tories on the basis of the population.
REPORTS from the senate end OF tho
capitol give the impression that the
speedieRt way TO secure action upon the
,roatgpnizai ion hin Is to allow the Cock
reIl bill 10 be reported frem the military
committee IT being understood that this
bin has the support of the majority of
that committee. Providing. as It does. for
purely native soldiery. in Cuba, Porto
Rico and the Philippines the measure is
looked upon by tho war department Of
hcials MS most unsatisfactory Therefore
they have urged their friends in the SEN
ate. while allowing this bill to be reported
from the committee, to move The adoption
OF The Hun bill as 1t came from the house
as "A substitute.
Washington, February 1.-THE senate
committee on military affairs has reached
deadlock on the army reorganization
bill This Ia duo to the absence OF Sou
ntor Proctor, who holds the balance e
power on the committee, He is In Cuba
and went away without leaving authority
to vote on the bill. This leaves 1ye re-
publlcans and Eve democrats members of
the committee.
When an effort was made at the fore
noon session of the committee to secure
a favorable report on the bill. the deUo-
Gratis objected and were able to prevent
action. An agreement was then reached
to meet at o'clock IN the afternoon, when
IL was stated that the democrats would
let the republicans know what they were
willing to do. The democratic members
of the committee expect TO make prop
osition authorizing the maintenance OF The
regular army ON he basis OF the increase
authorized for the war with Spain for
given time and will suggest an independ
mt bill containing this authorization.
rhey will also agree TO grant authority
o the president TO enlist certain num-
)er OF natives in the various newly ac-
lulred possessions. They hold that If all
he regiments are filled out as the pres
mt law authorizes. the army would num-
ser about 62, 600 men, and they say this
lumber is sufficient for all purposes.
Their object is against providing for
ornament increase in the army, but they
re not yet agreed upon the limit as to
he time for this increase. They have
.pretofore put 1t at The LIST OF July.
500. but they now appear inclined to cx-
end this tirie.
Several conferences were held between
he opposing sides of the army re-organA-
alton These resulted in an agreement
bat the bill should BIO reported tomorrow
radically without recommendation. Tho
emocrats simply agree to let the bill be
eported, reserving the right 70 make .
tatement OF their position and showing
he committee 10 be evenly divided.