The Florida star. (Titusville, Fla.) 1880-1917, 1900-11-30


about 40 working days. counting out
the usual Christmas recess. before
thine" will be called on this congress
and II must step down and out
Without taking up any new business
this session will have on its hands all
that IL can reasonably attend 10. The
regular appropriation bills. the consid-
Grafton or which will OF course take
considerable time. will have TO be dis
posed OF. and. in addition. there comes
over from the recent session a vast vol
ume OF business which should receive
final consideration. The last session
was perhaps the most prolific i'm the
history OF congress so far as initiative
is concerned. Nearly 5000 bills orig
mated in the senate and more than H.
900 I'm the house. or this great num-
Der only a few hundred were enacted
into laws. the multitudinous residue
remaining Technically unfinished bust
ness. awaiting action at the coming SEES
sion. Ii may be- said. however. that
the greater part OF this unfinished bust
ness can remain unfinished until the
crack OF doom without detriment to the
public interests. But there are a num-
Der OF important pending measures
which ought TO be disposed OF. and. so
cleared up and left unincumbered for
the next congress.
One OF the matters likely 10 receive
early consideration Is the proposition
for the reorganization or the army. and
various plans are under consideration.
The war department has made two
suggestions which are being entertain
ed by the committees on military af.
fairs OF both houses. Ir IL shall he de-
cidcd 10 recommend a standing army
OF G5.OOO. the army officials urge that
all that will be necessary In the way
OF legislation will be simply the repeal
OF that clause Of the existing law which
discharges the additional regular sol.
diers on the LIST day Of next July.
These men are all enlisted for three
years. and II the law which discharged
them OH July l. 1901. is repealed they
will continue in service. This plan
finds considerable favor because Of its
simplicity. although 1t does not allow
any elasticity in the strength OF the
army. Another plan suggested is mod
eled very closely on the Hull bill OF the
last session and is more likely TO be
the one adopted. This plan proposes
enough companies of 60 men each TO
make an army OF $4,000 men. this be-
ing the minimum strength. The law Is
10 be so framed. however. that the
companies can he increased TO l2O men
each, which would bring the total num-
Der I'D TO 100000 men. AS 1T present
contemplated there are TO be no addi-
tional officers. the increase being en-
tIrely of enlisted men. In view or the
fact that under the existing law the
president. as commander in chief OF
the army of the United States. will be
I'm command OF only 2I.OOO men. the
party OF the administration Will IN
ouestIonably take early and vigorous
stems toward the enactment OF an ar
NV reorganization bill which will meet
the approval OF the CHIEF executive.
DonbtIess there will be a spirited night
over the proposition
An Increase in the navy as well as
the army is likely TO be the subject OF
some legislation by this congress.
though II will probably come in connec-
ton with the regular naval appropria'
tion bill. According to the report of
- .a,,iraI rrowninshield on the