The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-25

ized % if.Fs Sc the number of priVates
ln each troop II cavalry 20 seVentY-f s,
'-'hut. the provision continues. -the total
-Umber of enlisted men authorized for
the whole army shall not az any time De
exceeded "
An tie House provisions In regard 10
the artillery are stricken out ana a pro-
vision substituted continuing me present
recimentai system and giving each rcSl-
u.Cut "a colonel. 4 lieutenant Colonel. three
ralOrs Feyeutefn captains ana the same
number 81 FIRST and second l.eutenants
Twelve COMPANIES OF foot artillery are
allowed % each regiment ~ artillery, and
three hattalions are provided Tor Ibe
President l. authorized 10 increase the
rrivates IN these companies 10 eighty-iFe
and those in field batteries TO l33, but NOT
by 80 doing 10 increase the size CT the
army.
Proyis on Made ter increases.
The language Of the House provision for
the increase Of the artillery is retained
a veterinary is 70 be allowed 70 each ar
tBlery regiment The infantry regiments
are allowed the same general officers as
the other branches % the service. ana the
same provision ia made for detail in all
cases The President Is allowed 10 in
crease the number Of privates IN infantry
conn anies 10 ~, bee the same Testric-
tions as IN other cases is put on him as TO
the increase OF the total strength OF the
army.
The enlisted force OF the Corps Of En-
gineers IS 10 consist OF band OF three
battalions Of engineers. The appoint
ments Of chaplains by the President IS
authorized at the rate OF one for each
regiment. including the artillery service.
Post chaplains are abolished.
The new bill continues the rank Of ma
iOr general to Gen. Corbtn so long as he
may serve as aGJutant general, but re-
duces the rank aftcrWard 10 DFigadieT
general. Provision also is made for as
sisLants in the adjutant generals Office
and for an inspector general, tie judge
advocate generals. the quartermaster
generals, the surgeon generals, and the
subsistence department. There are 10 be
five assistant adtutant generals with the
rank Of colonel. seven with the rank of
lieutenant colonel and fifteen with the
rank Of major. Vacancies IN the grade of
captain In the subsistence department are
TO be filled by the President from officers
OF the volunteer army. A female nurse
corps is provided in connection with the
surgeon generals office. The House pro-
vision for separate veterinary corps is
stricken out.
The pay department is 10 consist Of one
raymaster general who is 10 be bTiga-
dleE general, three paymasters. with the
rank of colonel; four with the rank of
lieutenant colonel, nine with the rank of
captain. These numbers are different
fIom the House bill. The heads of the
Ordnance Department and OF the Signal
Corps are to be brigadiers.
An Army OF I00, 0,OaO.
The maximum strength Of the army is
fixed at 100000 men, and the figure is not
mentioned until near the close of the bill
IL Is then inserted In connection with the
provision for the enlistment of Filipinos.
The provision is as follows:
That when, in his opinion, the conditions in the
Philippine Islands justify such action the Presi-
dent is authorized enlist natives those Islands
for service in the army, to be organized scouts
with such officers as he shall deem necessary for
their proper control, as troops or companies, al
authorized by this act, for the regular army. Tie
President is further authorized. In his discretion
10 form companies, organized companies OF
the regular army. in squadrons battalions, with
officers and non-eommissioned ohcers corresponding
10 similar organizations in the cavalry and in
fantry arms The total number of enlisted men in
said native organizations shall not exceed 1900
and the total enlisted force Of the line of the army
together with such native force, shall not exceed
at any time 100. 900.
The field officers for the native troops
are all to be Americans for the present
but whenever the Filipinos show fitness
for command, the President is authorized
TO make provisional selections from
among them for the grades Of first and
second heutenants. A native regiment of
Porto Ricans also Is authorized.
Other Provisions Of the Bill.
Following are provisions Of the new bill:
That to fill vacancies occurring from time to
time in the several organizations serving without
the limits Of the United States with trained men,
the President IS authorized to enlist recruits in
numbers equal 10 per cent. in EXCESS Of the total
strength authorized for such organizations
That the President, is authorized 70 malntsnAthe
enlisted force OF the several organizations OF the
army at their maximum strength as fixed by this
act during the present exFencies OF the service
until such time Congress may hereafter dirtet
That nothing in this act shall be held con-
strued as to discharge any officer from the regu-
lar army to deprive him OF the commission
which he now holds therein.
Changes in the stafi.
In the Quartermaster Generals Office
there are to be six instead of seven quar-
termasters with the rank of colOnel nine
instead Of eleven with the rank of lieuten-
ant colonel: eighteenn instead of twenty
eight with the rank of major, and fifty
four instead of seventy-twO with the rank
of captain mounted. In the subsistence
department the number of commissary
sergeants is made the same as under =
existing law, instead of $50 as 70
House bill. There are 10 be three sc
of four paymasters with the rank Of Colc-
mel: four instead Of five with the rams OF
lieutenant colonel; nine instead o: tSen-
ty-nine with the rank of major; twenty
instead of twenty-five with the rank Of
captain. The grades of assistant pay
master and deputy paymaster are strick-
en- out In the Signal Corps there are TO be
only ore colonel, three majors, and nine
instead of nineteen each of captains and
first lieutenants The Senate bill pro-
vides only for the appointment OF volun-
teer officers TO the grade OF second lieu
tenant in the regular army.
The medical department provision is
the same as that OF the House bill, except
a slight change as 10 qualifications Tor
head nurse.
Regarding staff Promotions.
The provision in the House blu regard
ing staff promotions is changed and eX
tended so as TO read as follows:
That so long as there remains any ofheer holding
permanent appointments in the adiutsni's generals
department, the Inspector generals department, the
qusrtsrmasteT's department. the subsistence
department. the pay department the ordnance de-
partmeHt hnd the Signal coTps, they shall be pro-
provided by Law, and nothing herein
tanned shall be deemed 20 apply TO vacancies which
can be filled BY such promotions or 10 the periods
for which the officers promoted shall hold their
appointments, and when any vacancy, except that
u the chief Of the department corps. shall
occur 4; shall be flied by detail from the line Of
the army and more permanent appointments shall
BE- made in those departments ar corps Such de-
tails shall be made from the grade IN which the
vacancies exist. under such system OF examination
ls nov prescribed BY law or as the President
may from time TO tme prescribe.
All ohhoers 50 deEaled shall serve for = period
Of fsur years uHless reieytd al the exyiFz-
tian OF which the they shall rrtuTn 10 duty With
the lac aRd onicers below the rank Of lieutenant
colonel shall not sEain be eligible fer selection in
either sts department until they shall have served
Two years with the line.
The Hay-Pauncefote canal treaty viii
be voted upon In the Senate al O'Clock
this afternoon. and VIII be ratified The
total affirmative vote, pfesent and paired.
viii aggregate betweea - and IS. the re-
quisite two-thirds being IS. There IS,
therefore. an ample margin Of safety for
the treaty.