Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-26
ARMY BILL DRAGS In SENATE
Expectation of Immediate Passage is Not
Realized.
PERMANENT INCREASE is THE OBSTACLE
Several Notable Speeches Are Made
by Adhcrents and Allen Uses
strong Terms in showing
sBiIps Unworthiness.

lne COuslutTaJlOu OF Une compromise army
reorganization bill, which had been agreed
upon by the members Of the military affairs
committee. Until short time before the
measure was taken up it was supposed 1t
would be passed today without serious Diff
ficulty, but when 1t was learned by some
senators that the bill provided for a per-
manent increase ian the standing army OBJ
lection was heard and 1t became evident that
the measure would have TO run the gauntlet
of sharp criticism. MIR. German desired that
no authorization of a permanent increase in
the army should be given and prepared an
amendment as follows THAT each and
every provision of this act shall continue in
force until July 1, 1901 and on and after
this date the officers and men, including
general officers and staff officers, shall be
restored to rank and numbers as provided
for by law prior to April 1, 1898, except the
cadets appointed prior to July 1, 1901, and
except as provided for in the act ITO author
ize two additional regiments Of artillery, ap-
proved March s, 1895"
Speeches in support Of the bill were de-
livered by MIR. Hawley of Connecticut, MIR.
Cockrell of Missouri Carter of Montana ana
Smith of New Jersey and against it by Mr..
German of Maryland and Allen of Nebraska,
Mr. Cockrell, who has consistently opposed
large standing army, gave the pending
measure his unequivocal and unqualified
| support, declaring IT was the best army
measure ever submitted to congress.
No agreement ITO vote on the bill had been
reached when the senate adjourned.
The following bills were passed: Appro-
! priating $250,000 for the site for the Car
| negie library in the city of Washington;
enabling the city of Albuquerque, N. NJ, to
create certain Indebtedness; authorizing the
| funding of certain warrants in bonds at the
| rate of per cent interest; authorizing the
construction of three bridges across the
Conemaugh river, a navigable stream in Es-
Gambia county, Alabama.
Hawley Calls Up Army Bill.
Mr.. Hawley chairman of the military af-
fairs committee, then called up the compro-
mise army reorganization bill.
At the conclusion of the reading Of the
| bill Mr. German suggested to Mr.. Hawley
the desirability of permitting the bill to go
over to Monday. 81 think" said he. ad-
J dressing Senator Hawley, you will econo-
| mize time by allowing the bill to go over"
Mr.. Allison suggested that If the bills
consideration was postponed until Monday
a time for vote early on Monday should
| be agreed upon at this time. Some effort
was made to fix an hour Monday for vote
but without success.
| Mr.. Cockrell, member of the military af-
fairs committee, discussed at length the
! features Of the measure This measure,
said he, has been examined very carefully
endorse It because it is right, just proper
and necessary 1t will settle for years TO
come the standing army" Further along in
his analysis of the bill, Mr.. Cockrell said the
increase in the army provided for by the
bill was perfectly justifiable and absolutely
| essential
In response to question by Mr. Vest he
said the army after 1901 would be reduced
to 2S, 400 and that number would be required
to take care Of the coast Notifications. In
conclusion, Mr.. Cockrell said:
"If we have bill here which will adjust
| the army controversy for years to come, we
ought to accept it. 1t is not prodigal of
type or money. I have been on several
| commissions and committees for the reor-
ganization of the army and l believe hon
estly and conscientiously that this Is the
| very best measure presented to congress for
settling the army since entered this cham
Der in 1895. If the bill fails, my judgment
| is that that which will come hereafter will
not be so good for the country. / believe
the bill is right in the sight of God and man
and | am willing to take all responsibility
for it."
| Mr.. Hawley offered an amendment pro-
yiding that mo person who has passed the
age of As years shall be appointed as a field
| officer in said force (the volunteer force)
| officers of the regular army excepted.
| Allen Opposes the Measure. .
Mr.. Allen addressed the senate in opposi-
tion to the general features of the bill. He
was surprised that MIR. Cockrell could give
| his sanction to such a measure. IF there
| ever was hideous skeleton, monstrosity
| a deformed organization this bill is one
he declared. "It is warped, disjointed
dislocated. 1t lacks science, it lacks CO.
herence, it lacks good sense.
81 am not concerned in this delightful
fight now going on between the secretary OF
war and the general commanding the army
! honor General Miles in that fight. Every
intelligent man in the country believes that
our army was fed on trash and that large
percentage of the sickness and mortality in
the army was due to the food given to the
soldiers"
Passing from the army bill, Mr.. Allen ad-
verted to the navy He regarded it as a
glorious thing that Admiral Dewey had the
presence of mind to cut the cable between
him and Washington and that it was FOR
tunate for Dewey he was in a position tc
sever connection with Washington.
"Then, too" said Mr.. Allen, 1--WE have the
| controversy over the two rear admrals In
| the navy. Whether the man who fought the
| battle resulting in the destruction of Ger
vera's fleet and won it shall have the laurelS
| of victory or whether they shall go to mar
who was ten miles away, seems a subject oi
| controversy by the Navy department.
THE American people, 70,000,00O of hon
est hearts and souls will always believe
that Schley was the hero Of that battle and
won that battle, and / am not detracting
anything from the service of Admiral Samp
son who, IL he had been there, would have
acquitted himself nobly. There seems to be
a game OF battledore and shuttlecock and
over in the Navy department they are shed
! ding more ink than blood"
New Power for President
"It shall not be said of me-" said Mr.
! German, that | would hamper the admins
tration in any respect 1t shall have al
the men and all the money to dispose o.
the conditions at hand that it may need Il
| seems to me, however, that IL it be only tC
suppress an insurrection in the Philippines
the executive ought not to ask us in the
closing hours of "A short session of congress
for such a measure as this. The president
| ought not to ask us for greater power thar
| was accorded him in the war with Spain i
| is not proper that the executive should ash
for the maintenance Of a larger force thar
! ".g given the president of the United
| States when we we're at war with England
.,V IL l. 10, .e vsvtah