The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-08
ARMY REORGANIZATION
THE SENATE PASSES THIS MEASURE
AFTER SHORT DEBATE.
SOME VERY IMPORTANT CHANGES
Made In organization of the Army
The Commander or Army TO Rank as
Lieutenant General-To Increase
Number OF Cadets at West Point. IheI
Fertilization Bill PASSED A Public
Building for Durham-Fieht DetweenI
Naval and Appropriation Committees
SENATE.

SENATE.
Washington, May 4-Today's session.
of the senate was rendered especially
notable by the passage, after a debate
lasting only three hours, of the army
reorganization bill. In military cir
cles, the measure is regarded as one
of the most important of the present
session. 1t practically revoiutioniZe
the present staff arrangements of the
army. 1t proposes to change the pres
ent system of permanent appointments
in certain staff corps TO one Of detail
by a gradual process, as the officers
nov in those corps go out of active
service. AS vacancies occur in depart
ments of the adjutant general, the in
spector general, the quartermasteT
general commissionary general
they are TO be filled by details from
the line, the details TO De temporary
and not exceeding -four years.
The new system is not applied to the
corps of engineers, medical DEPART
ment, pay department nor judge advo-l
cate generals department.
The bill discontinues the regimentall
organization of the artillery n estab-
fishes an artillery corps of two branch-I
es-126 batteries of coast artillery and
IS batteries of field artillery, with a.
total of 11,44S. j
The bill provides for an increase of
100 in the corps of cadets at West
Point, two at large from each state
and ten more to the present number
of twenty from the United States at
large.
Two of the most important provi-|
sions of the bill are those raising the
rank of the commanding general OF
the army to that of lieutenant general,
and that Of the adjutant general to
major genera. me latter being during
the ~incumbency of the present adju-|
tant general, General Corbin.
The president is empowered to place
on the retired list any officer who has
been suspended from duty by sentence
of court martial, or by executive or
der in mitigation of such sentence, for
a period extending to or within n
year of the time of his compulsory re-
tirement from age. This is we'll under
stood to apply to Commissary general
Eagan.
An amendment creating a veterinary
corps for army consisting of a colo
mel and thirty-five other commissioned
officers was attached to the bill after
spirited debate, the amendment being
adopted by a vote of % to %.
Senator Tillman, of South Carolina,
moved that the Fifteenth section of
the measure be amended so as to read
as follows:
THAT the senior major general COM
manding the army shall have the rank,
pay and allowances of a lieutenant
general and his personal staff shall
have the rank, pay and allowances
authorized for the staff of a lieutenant
general"
The amendment proposed by Senator
Tillman had the effect of striking out
the provisions making the section ap-
ply only to General Miles, the present
commander of the army. 1t was
agreed to-.
The fo~rtiications appropriation bill,
carrying about $500, 900 was passed.
Mr.. Wolcitt reported the postoffice
appropriation bill and gave notice that
he would al it up on the 18th instant
Senate Teller gave notice that he
would call up his resolution express
ing sympathy for the Beers after
routine business tomorrow.
A bill was passed appr3priatine
$4,000 for the purchase of a site and
erection thereon of a public building
at Durham, N. c..
AIT $40 O'Clock p. m. the senate ad
journed.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
The house made fair progress toda!
with the sundry civil appropriation
bill, completing 70 of the 1872 pages o.
the bill. Much of the time today wa!
consumed in an effort of the member.
of the naval committee to cripple tn,
coast and geodetic survey in retaliation
for the refusal of the house to agre,
to their recommendation, when tn
naval bill was before the house, t.
place the survey of the waters of on
4 .--,,1- -4--4-c;opc ~ tho Io- - of -,
navy. They tried to strike out tn,
item in the bill authorizing the Goa
survey to survey the coast in the jul
risdiction of the United States, blu
were defeated. They made a point o
order against a new vessel for tn
survey and against an appropriation
of s1S2, 745 for enlisted men on surve,
vessels, but the latter appropriation
went back in the bill in another form
An amendment was adopted to in
crease the pay of the surf men at lf
saving stations to the uniform rate o
So a month.
Mr.. Dayton, of West Virginia, NOV
ed to strike from the item for coas
and geodetic survey the provision 70
survey of the coasts under the juris
diction of the United States.
This re-opened the controversy o
this subject. After prolonged debat
the appropriation committee wer
! again victorious, Mr.. DaytonS amend
ment being defeated without division
The members of the nava committe
\ continued their fight. While they wer
out voted upon every occasion whe
the question was submitted to tn
house they succeeded in ruling on
several provisions upon points of OF
der.
Mr.. Butler, of Pennsylvania. mad
a point of order against the appropria
ton of S1S2, 745 for the payment of To
enlisted men employed on coast surve
1 vessels.
The chair sustained the point of Of
i der; whereupon Mr.. Cannon offere
another provision to appropriate tn
same sum for employees to man an
. equip the vessels of the coast survey
This amendment the chair held I
be in order and it was adopted.
Mr.. Kitchin, of North Carolin;
. moved to strike out the appropriate
of $4,000 to be paid informers again.
violations of the international revenJ
laws. This item for years has bee
s. fought nv nraSaDfaf i-ae +ro-o Nov.