The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1899-02-02
ARMY BILL IS PASSED
House Agrees to Reorganization
Measure.
MANY AMENDMENTS MADE
me Vote Was 100 to 128 In Favor of the
Bnl-Not Likely to Reach Vote In
the Senate.

whole soon after convening yesterday
to consider further and finally the am
endel army reorganization bill. Under
the general cut of staff officers the pay
department was cut down by the re-
duction of one colonel, three lieuten-
ant colonels and twelve majors.
The maximum age of appo-ltees from
ciyi life was fixed at forty years. The
official roster of the corps of engineers
as originally reported in the bill was
reduced by the elimination of two colo
pels four lieutenant colonlsS six ma
iors, six captains, ten first lieutenants
and ten second lieutenaSts.
MIR. Bromwell of Ol,,o moved an am
endment prohibiting the appointment
of men from civil life to places in the
engineer corps, combining the places al
together to graduates of West Point.
The proposition contained in the
bill. Mr.. Hull explained, had been
drawn and submitted by General Will
son, chief of engineers, in view of ali
the prospects and conditions of the
corps.
The amendment was advocated by
Messrs Walker of Massachusetts,, Lacy
Of Iowa. Dockery OF Missouri and op-
posed by Mr.. Marsh of Illinois.
Mir. Cannon of Illinois took ten min
utes to criticise the amendment OF
which Cummings of New York gave
notice Monday prohibiting the use of
the army to restore order in case OF
strikes or riots in the states except
when the governor shall certify that
he cannot restore or maintain order.
II was in his opinion unconstitutional
and unnecessary, because under the
law of 1879 all necessary restrictions
and security were provided.
He referred TO the facts at the
time of the Chicago riots in 1894, when
President Cleveland, over the protest
Of Governor Altgeld, sent troops there
to enforce the laws of the United states
under the provision of legislation max
ing it his duty to execute the laws.
His action was approved by the SEN
ate, by the House of Representatives
and by the people. III Cummings
proposition had been law then the
troops could not have been sent.
For one, Cannon said in conclusion,
he would never consent to give the
power to any one man or one hundred
men or one thousand men, to render
the president powerless to discharge
the duties constitutionally devolving
upon him.
Cummings replied to Cannon's argu-
ment in his usual vigorous manner. He
said that organized labor protested
against the increase of the army to
one hundred thousand men, for the
reason that it feared the army would
be used unconstitutionally to oppress
IL. 'If it is not the purpose thus 10
use It, say so IL it is, say so, so that
the people may know where you
stand"
Mr. Cannon responded in an unusu-
ally earnest, emphatic manner. declar-
ing that before every other distinction
or dierence the people of the United
States were American citizens, and
the law, like the grace of God, cover
ed them all. In putting organized Ia
Dor into the attitude he had, Cannon
declared, Cummings did not represent
labor; he slandered labor. (Applause.)
After brief rejoinder by Mr.. Cum
mings, the amendment offered by MIR
Bromwell of Ohio prohibiting the ap-
pointment of civilians to the engineer
corps was agreed to by vote of >!
to 70.
An effort to secure another hour S
general debate, so that Messrs. Bailey
of Texas and Dalzell of Pennsylvania
might address the House, was una
vai.irr and the previous question was
ordercr.
all did not insist upon sepa'
rate cote upon the amendment of Mr.
b. omN eli of Ohio prohibiting the ap
poiutment of civilians to the engineer
corps, and all the amendments report
ed were adopted by the House.
Mir. Hay of Virginia moved to re
comm the bill with instructions t.
the committee on military affairs t.
n he substitute prepared by tn
minority of the committee.
ne motion to recommit was lost
This vas a party vote, the Republicai
in he negative, Democrats, Populist
AZ verites in the affirmative.
ca The question of passage the ro
W called and the bill was pas
was the same general part
mt as on the former vote Re
%, voting aye and the opposi
.cepuons were that Barber {
Y d. Connolly of Illinois, Johnso
OF ma McEwen of New Jersey
m dsworth of New York voted n
Democrats and Messrs. Mo
C n New York Taylor of Ala
b. -rry of kentucky and Skinne
of 'arolina voted aye with til
Re rans.
7 MS fate in the Senate is ur
cel the chances are that
will come to IA vote. The Demo
era is there are opposed to /
and hold the rank and file of II
par me,
tt eral provisions of the meas
ure satisfactory to. many r.
publ senator's, and although tbs
have yet had time to digest Il
amer uts made in the House. th'
have IDEALLY agreed that the b
win owed to die on the calend
when ssion comes to an END
March