The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-05-08
REDUCTION IN Army
Queer Story That Only the
Rank and File
BUT NOT THE OFFICERS
Are Affected by the New Re-
organization Bill.

| Nv York, May IA special to the
Tribune from Washington says: Con-
| gress win perhaps be surprised to learn
that the army law of 1899 does not pro-
vide for the reduction OF the regular
army to its dimensions prior to 1898. as IN
now popularity supposed. Experts say
that only the rank and file VIII be re-
duced to 25,00o men; that there IS
thimblerigging phraseology in the law
which retains all the additional officers in
| the service Investigation appears TO con-
| firm this assertion. Befose the Spanish
war the regular army consisted of only
| ,267 men all told, namely, 5000 rank
and file, 81 military cadets and seven
| professors at West Point; 2,164 general,
staff and line officers in the active ser
vice, besides 1928 enlisted men, and Cos
| officers on the retired list AS enlarged
| from time to time under the various war
| legislation that followed, the United
| States army now consists of 64,969 rank
and file, 3S1 cadets and eight West Point
professors, 2,5S6 general, staff and line
officers in active service, with LAY en-
listed men and 753 officers on the retired
list. Besides these regulars there are
approximately 35,e0o volunteers in the act
i've service.
These figures show the following in
creases in the various grades OF the act
i've service: Enlisted men. 80, 969; officers.
40; professors, 1; cadets, TO- On the re-
tired list there has been an increase of 90
officers and 149 enlisted men.
In the expiring hours Of the Fifty
fifth congress, by the agency OF a con-
ference committee, law was rushed
through, and approved on March 2, 1899.
containing a clause which provided that
on and after July 1. 1901, "all the gem
eral line officers appointed to the army
under this act shall be discharged, and
the number restored in each grade to
those existing at the passage of this act,
and the enlisted force of the line of the
army shall be reduced to the number as
provided for by law prior to April 1,
1888"
This army law Of 1892 known as the
Cockrell- German bill is a muddle of in
explicable contradictions. The positive
Rotations of the foregoing paragraph
apparently leave no escape from the
nearly universal conclusion that on July
l, 1901, the army is to go back to its
original strength before the Spanish war,
unless meanwhile there is supplementary
legislation. That such is the understand
ing in congress has been made manifest
by the utterances of members and SEN
ators in the discussion Of pending army
legislation. This threatened event IS used
constantly as an appeal for immediate
legislation to put the army on a perman-
ent footing Nevertheless a vague hint
has somewhat got abroad recently that
this law of March, 1899, does not knovide
for reducing the officers of the regular
army on the date named or any other
date, although a superficial reading leaves
that impression, and that was undoubted-
ly what both congress and administration
circles err in any presumption that the
Cockrell-Gorman act puts the official
personnel of the army back to It's old
number before the Spanish war. 1t I'M
questionably compels the reduction of the
enlisted strength to the old maximum
unless the pre-. congress provides diff
ferently, and also the muster out OF the
volunteer general, staff and line officers
and the volunteer soldiery. But few, if
any. of the additional regular officers re-
quired by the Spanish -Snd Philippine
wars will, can, or are intended to be
discharged. under it's provisions.
After suffering from severe dyspepsia
over twelve years and using many RENE
dies without permanent good I finally
took Dyspepsia Cure. 1t did me so
much good 1 recommend It to every
one. writes ]. E. Watkins. Clerk and
Recorder, Chillicothe. Mo. Il digests
what you eat. Gus Saur. 52i East Doug