The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-20

payEnaster general. who is to be a briga-
aicr general. three paymasters with the
lieutenant colonel. nine with the rank of
major. and twenty-seven with the rank
ri. captain. These numbers are different
from the House bill
The heads Of the ordnance department
and of the signal corps are 20 be triga-
aiers.
MAXIMUM STRENGTH 100000.
The maximum strength OF the army IS
fixed at 10000 men. and the figure is not
mentioned until near the close Of the bill.
II IS then inserted in connection with the
provision for the enlistment OF Filipinos.
The provision is as follows: THAT when,
Il his opinion. the conditions in the Phil
sppine islands justify such action. the
President is authorized TO enlist natives
OF those Islands for service In the army,
To be organized as scouts, with such Of
Hcers as he shall deem necessary for the
proper control, or as troops or companies,
as authorized by this act, for the regular
army The President Is further authorized,
In his discretion, TO form companies, or
ganized from companies Of the regular
army. In squadrons or battalions, with Of
flcers and oncommissiOned officers cor
responding to similar organizations in the
cavalry and the infantry. The total num-
Der of enlisted men in said native organi-
cations shall not exceed 1900, and the to-
tai enlisted force of the line Of the army,
together with such native force shall not
r exceed at any time 10000
The field officers for the native troops are
all To be Americans for the present, but
whenever the Filipinos show fitness for
the President is authorized TO
make provisional selections from among
them for the grades of first and second
lieuteEants. A native regiment OF Porto
Eicans also Is authorized. Following are
some provisions of the new bill:
That to I'LL vacancies occurring from
time TO time I'm the several organizations
serving without the limits OF the United
States will trained men the President is
authorized to enlist recruits in numbers
equal to 4 per cent. in excess of the total
strength authorized for such organizations.
That the President is authorized TO
maintain the enlisted force Of the several
organizations of the army at their maxi
mum strength, as fixed by this act, during
the present exigencies of the service or
until such time as Congress may hereafter
direct.
That nothing in this act shall be held or
construed so as 10 discharge any officer
from the regular army or TO deprive him
OF the commission he now holds therein"
There are in the bill some provisions re-
tinues Adjutant General Corbin as a major
general only during his continued active
service The Senate strikes out
the word active" continuing the rank
during service" In the quartermaster
generals office there are TO be six instead
OF seven quartermasters with the rank
OF colonel, nine instead of eleven with
the rank of lieutenant colonel, eighteen
instead OF twenty-eight with the rank OF
major, ffty-four instead of seventy-two
with the rank OF captain mounted. In the
subsistence department the number of COM
missary serge ants is made the same as
under the existing law, instead of $50, as
in the House bill. There are to be three
instead of four paymasters with the rank
OF colonel. nine instead OF twenty-nine
with the rank of major, twenty instead
OF twenty-five with the rank OF captain.
The grades of assistant paymaster and
deputy paymaster are stricken out. In the
signal corps there is to be only one colonel,
three majors and nine instead of nineteen
each of captains and first lieutenants.
The provision in the House bill regarding
staff promotions is changed and extended
so as TO read as follows: THAT so long as
there remains any officer holding perma-
nent appointment In the adjutant generals
department. the inspector generals depart
subsistence department., the pay depart
ment. the ordnance department and the
signal corps they shall be promoted az
cording to seniority in the several grades,
as now provided by law, and nothing
herein contained shall be deemed to apply
10 vacancies which can be filed by such
promotions or TO the periods for which the
officers so promoted shall hold their ap-
pointments, and when any vacancy, ex-
cept thai OF the chief of the department or
corps, snail occur tx shall be filled by de-
tails from the line of the army, and no
more permanent appointments shall be
made in those departments or corps. Such
details shall be made from the grade in
which the vacancies exist under such sys-
tenn of examination as is now prescribed
by law or as the President from time to
time may prescribe. All officers so detailed
shall serve for a period of four years I'M
less sooner relieved, at the expiration of
which time they shall return 10 duty with
the line, and officers below the rank of
lieutenant colonel shall not be again eligi-
BILE for selection in either staff department
until they shall have served two years
with the line"
The medical department provision is the
same as that OF the House bill except a
slight change as to qualifications for head
nurse.
The full committee on military affairs
met at 2 o'clock. and after a two hours
sitting adopted the resolutions of the SUBJ
committees. The bill will be reported TO
the Senate tomorrow.