The age-herald., 1899-01-10
 SCHOFIELD'S PLAN
 BEING REVISED G0neFal-in-Chiei of the Army Being Again Discussed. HEAD OF THE LINE AND STAFF Superiority -0Ver the Present System is Easily Apparent. FIERCE FIGHT OVER THE ARMY BILL Debate Will be Warm, and Reed Will Make No Effort to Stop the Mu- sic-The Opposition to
 Ratification.
HEAD OF THE LINE AND STAFF
FIERCE FIGHT OVER THE ARMY BILL

Washington, January 9.-(Special) )-The suggestion is being revived of adopting the recommendation of General Seofield and having general-in-chief of the army. Fms will make the commanding general not only the head of the line, but of the staff also. AS the organization now stands the adju- tant-general of the army has more author ity than the commanding general, and yet no responsibility whatever, all his orders are issued either in the name of the com- manding general or else the secretary of war. General seofields plan was to put at the head of both a general-in-chief and his appointment to be for the term of four years, to be reappointed or else retired at the incoming of each president. In case the general-in-chef did not want to assume d subordinate rank, provision was to be made for his retirement There is much to be said in favor of the plan, but more against it. It is true that it fixes the responsI Ibl.ty of the adjutant- generals office, but it wou d likewise put the whole command of the army entirely under the influence of the president.
 The president is the commander-in- -chief [ of the army, but should he attempt to use the army for his own evil purposes the commanding general, who would seldom be the appointee of the man in power, would see that this purpose became known and thwarted. But should generals command depend entirely upon favortism, almost the whole army might be suborned before that fact became evident.
 Fight Over Army Bill
 The fight over the army bill is going to be fierce, for the opposition is determined not to yield without having the whole mat ter well aired before the country. Speaker Reed, in spite of the limited period left to transact public business, will give plenty of time for the discussion of thls bill Be ng opposed to territorial expansion h mself, but being unable to talk he will see that others who have the right of debate will have the time to do it in. He would like nothing better than to see the army bill defeated. At present this seems impossible but the question may be narrowed down so that the minority may be able to force a com- promise.
 Instead of authorizing a hundred thous- and men congress may permit the president to enlist up to that number and the presi- dent of the United States ito reduce that number whenever he may see fit This would bring the question directly before the people, and the question then would be to elect a president pledged to cut down the army. This is a mere possibility, mere contingent for the present outlook is that
 
 tee will be accep. ed by the house and pas sed very nearly in the same shape by the ate Even should 1t fail in this congress it could easily be passed in an extra session of the next.
 Weakens the Opposition
 The knowledge of this takes much of the spirit out of the oppositions fight.
 The same reasoning holds good in the matter of the treaty. There is no way either to amend defeat its ratification. If the expansionists see that it will not receive the necessary two-thirds vote they will simply talk on it until the session should close on the 4th of March, and with a larger ma jority in the next congress the treaty would be ratified in an etxra session of the ate, which would be done even without call ing the whole of congress in extra session. The opposing senators see that their light is almost hopeless at this time, and for that reason they intend to discuss the principles in open senate rather than behind closed doors, as the administration would have it done. They will fight over the heads of the senate and of the administration Itself and make their point direct with the people against expansion, leaving the question to be finally settled in 1900 and in the elec- tion of the Fifty-seventh congress.
 A. w. BUTT.