The times., 1899-03-02
THE ARMY BILL PASSES
WITHOUT AMENDMENT
Rushed Through the House by
SuSpending the Rules.
Few Favored the Measure. But 1t
Was Better Than None.
The Demand for 81 Nea and Nay Vote
Was Almost Unanimously
Refused.

The Senate compromise Army bill passed
the House yesterday without an amend
ment Of any kind 1t was taken up under
suspension of the rules after being sub
mitted without amendment by the Commit
Tee on Military Affairs. but with a report
that amounted to a kick. Nevertheless
most OF the members of the committee
urged its passage as the best measure that
could be obtained at this stage Of the pro-
ceedings.
In calling up the bill, Mr.. Hull, Chair
man OF the committee, damned it with
faint praise, and several Democratic mem
bers followed in scoring il. When the
forty minutes debate allowed under sus-
pension of the rules had expired no one
had championed the bill. and it seemed
about TO fail. In this emergency Mr.. Can
non of Illinois asked unanimous consent TO
extend the debate for forty minutes more.
The consent was given and the time was
divided between Mr.. Marsh OF Illinois who
favored the bill and Mr.. Steele of Indiana,
who opposed H. The necessity for its pas
sage was so demonstrated that the House
by an overwhelming vote finally agreed 10
il. The members did not care 10 go on
record. however, and demand for the yeas
and nays only found seven supporters, and
was denied.
The report Of the Military Affairs Com
mittee was as follows:
The Committee on Military Affair, in yicw Of
the few day- remaining Of the session and the
importance Of some provision, even If tempo
raIy in character being made did not consider
the bill with a view to its amendment, bat
resolved 10 submit il TO the judgment 0f th'
House without being considered IN any way a
endorsing the organization provided Tor. the
details Of the bill. II viii. in the judgment
Of the executive officers Of the Government, give
the President for two ycars al least, ample force
20 maintain the 4uthOiity Of the United States
and Il IS accepted by the committee in tiii:
view and this only.
Mr.. Hull explained the bill. He said that
the committee was constrained to report il
by the existing situation. Otherwise not a
single member OF the committee would
have favored such a bill. The committee
did not feel warranted in refusing to re-
port il, thereby compelling an extra ses-
sion. In the Senate the Democrats had
compelled the acceptance OF the bill, giving
no chance for amendment.
The House bill, he said. had fixed a min
imum and maximum number for enlisted
men in company; the Senate bill had
fixed an absolute number Of regiments and
companies, and Of enlisted men TO COM
pany, thus fixing the total number abso-
lutely. Under this provision the army
would amount 10 about 35, 900.
But the next section in the bill said that
this army should not exceed $1,000. These
two provisions, said Mr.. Hull, were ineon.
sistent. IL the Senate had fixed the mum
Der of men in q company as a minimum in
stead Of an absolute number. the bill, h'
said, would be all right.
The Attorney General of the United State
had expressed an opinion that the Presi
dent could consider the bill as fixing
minimum and could expand the companie
under the wording of the act 10 a tota
strength to s5, 900 men; the Adiutant Gen