The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-05-07
OVERPLUS OF OFFICERS.
Only The Rank and File Of The Army Is to
Be Cut Down.
AN IMPERFECT LAW BROUGHT 10 LIGHT
The Provisions OF the Army DiIi Ar.
such that There VIII Be Nearly us
Many Officers ~ Men.

Washington, May 6.--congress viii per-
haps be surprised 10 learn that the army
law OF 1899 does not provide Tor the re-
duction OF tbs regular army 10 it's d.
menslons prior to 1925. as is now popu-
larry supp sed. Experts say that only
the rank and file viii be reduced to "a
600 men. thar there ls thimblerlsging
phraseology IN the law which retains all
the additional officers in the service In
vEstigation appears to confirm this asser.
ton. Before the Spanish war the reau-
lar army consisted OF only IS, 267 men all
lola, namely 10000 rank and file. S7i mil :
iiary cadets and seven professors At
West Point, 2l64 general, stan snl limo
officers in the active service, besides 1898
enlisted men and 6G3 officers on the ia
tited list. As enlarged from time to tilno
under The various war legislation that
followed the United states army now con-
sists Of 6i069 rank and file. 3Sl cadets
ana eight West Point professors, 25SG
general, STAFF ard line officers on the
active service With 144i enlisted mtn ana
153 officers on the retired list. Bes de
these regulars, there are approximately
30 900 yoiuntees IN ire active service,
These figures show the following increase
In the various grades OF the active ser
vice. Enlisted meu 39969. officers 49,
professors j, cadets TO- on the retired list
there has been sp increase OF ninety Off
Gers and l49 enlisted men, In the eXpir-
ing hours OF the lNifty-fifth congress. by
the agency OF a conference committee law
was rushed through and approved on
faf air4 r,r1af -H
provides that on and after July l. 1900
ali the general, stan ana line oificefS ap-
pointed 10 tho army under this act shall
he discharged and the numbers restored
in each grade TO those existing al the
passage OF this act, and the enlisted force
OF he limo of the army shall be reduced
to the number a. provided for by law
prior 10 Aprl l. 1898.
This army law of 1899 known as the
Cocbrell- German BILL is a muddle of in.
expliCahle ontrsctions. The positive reci-
tations OF the foregoing paragraph appsr-
emily leaves no escape from the nearly
conclusion that on July / 1898,
the army is to 90 back TO It's original
strength before tho Spanish war unless
meanwhile there is supplementary lesis
lation That such is the understanding
in congress has hsen made manifest by
the utterances of members and senator's
in the discussion of pending army legis-
lation This threatened event is used
constantly as an appeal for Immediate
legislation 80 put the army on perma-
nent footing.
Nevertheless vague hint has somehow
got abroad recently that this law Of March
Q 1883, does not provide for reducing the
officers of the regular army on the date
named or any other date although a SUI
perfcal reading leaves that impression
and that was undoubtedly what congress
thought il was providing when Il passed
the act. A careful investigation leaves
little room for doubt that both congress
and the administration err in any pre-
sumption that the Cockrell German acts
puts the official personnel OF the army
back to its old number before the Spanish
war 1t unquestionahly compels the re-
duction of the enlisted strength to the
old maximum unless the present congress
provides differently and also the muster
out OF the volunteer. general stafi and
line officers and The volunteer soldiery.
But few, if any, OF tho additional regular
officers required for the Spanish and
Philippines wars will, can or are intend
cd TO be discharged under its provisions.