The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-02-16
II Bill Is Not Passed by Congress an Extra
Session viii Be Called.
STRONG OBJECTION TO RESOLUTIONS
Senate Committee on Military Affairs In a Deadlock,
Owing 10 The Absence OF Senator Proctor
Who Holds Balance of Power.

Washington. Feb. 15.-The presiden,
has conveyed assurances TO some of the
party leaders I'm congress. in addition to
those given last week. that he will cer-
tainly call congress together i'm extra
session IL ii fails 10 pass the army re-
organization bill at the present session.
In answer TO repeated inquiries. the ad
ministration has been obliged to decline
all propositions looking to the tidine
over OF the needs of the army by pass
ing joint resolution simply extending
the appropriations on the basis of the
present organization. holding that this
device would be utterly inadequate to
meet the absolute necessities OF the case
The status of the volunteers would. il
is said. be extremely unsatisfactory, and
there would absolutely be no assurance
that the president could retain them in
service even when the emergency IS
great. The same statement would
apply to the regular army soldiers who
enlisted for the war.
A very serious objection TO the Joint
resolution program too. according to the
war department officials. would be it's
failure To supply the staff and line Off
GERS absolutely needed. These officials
say that the pending Hun bin provides
Tor Just S22 original appointments OF
second lieutenants. and IL is declared 10
be the policy OF the administration TO
divide these places among the states and
territories on the basis OF the popula-
ton.
Reports from the senate end OF the
Capitol convey the impression TO the
of1cials that the speediest way TO secure
action upon the reorganization bill is to
allow the Cockrell bill to be reported to
the military committee, IL being under
stood that this bill commands the sup
port of the majority of that committee.
providing. as II does, for a purely ma
tive soldiery in Cuba Porto Rico and
the Philippines. the measure is looked
upon by the war department officials as
most unsatisfactory. Therefore. they
have urged their friends in the senate.
while allowing this bill TO be reported
from the committee. TO move the adop-
tion OF the Hull bill as it came from the
house, as a substitute.
The senate committee on military af-
fairs yesterday reached a deadlock on
the army reorganization bin, owing TO
the absence of Senator Proctor. who
holds the balance Of power on the COM
mittee. He is in Cuba. and went away
without leaving authority to vote for
him on the bill. This leaves FIVE Repub-
licans and five Democratic members on
the committed
When an effort was made at the fore
noon session OF the committee TO secure
a favorable report on the bill the Demo-
Gratis objected and were bile to prevent
action. Afterwards several conferences
were held between the opposing sides.
These resulted in an agreement that the
bill should be reported to the senate
practically without recommendation.
The Democrats simply agreed to let the |
bill be reported. reserving the right TO |
make a statement of their position and |
showing the committee to be evenly di- |
vided |