Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-11-30
PROPOSED CONGRESS
SIONAL LEGISLATION.

L
SIONAL LEGISLATION.
Congress at the Coming Session Will Have
to Choose Between the Nicaraguan and
the Panama Canal Routes.
CONFERENCE WITH SECRETARY hay.
Washington, November 30.-President
Hutin, of the Panama canal company,
called by appointment upon Secretary
Hay today and had long talk with
him touching the prospects of the Pan
anna canal as affected by probable leg
islation at the approaching congress.
The Panama canal has made no official
tender of it's property to the state de-
partment. 1t has however given the
Isthmian canal commission full state
ment of the affairs of the company and
the conditions upon which it might be
willing to pass control of it's property to
the United States government in the
event the Panama route should be
chosen. The commission will include
Hutins report so that congress will
have before it all material for exercis-
ing a choice between the Nicaraguan
and the Panama routes. The canal
commission is making strenuous ef-
forts to finish it's preliminary report,
which, according to a promise, was to
be delivered to the president today. 1t
is said that the document will be sent
to congress as an accompaniment of the
presidents message and meanwhile will
probably not be made public. 1t is evil
IDENTIFY the intention of the administra-
ton to press canal legislation upun
congress earnestly and speedily from
the beginning of the session.
THE PROPOSED ARMY BILL.
Washington, Nov. 80. - Secretary
Roots army bill provides for lieuten-
ant general, six major generals, and f1f-
teen brigadier generals. The number of
captains, first lieutenants and second
lieutenants of cavalry and infantry are
increased from twelve to fifteen for
each regiment. Three captains shall be
available for detail as adjutant, quar-
termaster and commissary; three first
lieutenants for squadron and battalion
adjutants three second lieutenants for
squadron quartermasters and commits
sary. Provision for the discontinuance
of the artillery arm as at present or
ganized is made by organizing an ar
tillery corps to be known as the coast
artillery and field artillery.
All promotions of the staff created
under the act are to be made from the
present staff corps and when vacancies
occur by retirement or otherwise, pro.
motions shall be made by seniority. Va
cancies that can not be filled by sucf
; promotions are to be filled by detail
, from the line of the army, the detall
lasting four years, after which ofhcer
shall not be available for staff duty un
til they serve two years in the line
Provisions for filling vacancies at tn
, head Of the various staff corps follow
r 'That upon the occurrence of the va
| cancy in the office of the adjutant gen
eral, inspector general, judge advocat
general, quartermaster general, com
missary general, paymaster genera
: chief ordnance, or chief signal officer
0 the president may appoint chlef Q
, any of, said departments or corps fror
e the officers of the army at large, no
I below the grade of lieutenant colone
provided, that the chiefs of the stat
corps or departments shall be appoint
). ed for terms to continue four years, un
4 less sooner terminated by the presiden
and while so serving shall have tn
rank, pay and allowances now author
lied for the chiefs of said corps or az
partments, and provided, that whe
any officer serving detail as chief of tf
i staff corps or department, is retire
he shall be retired with the rank an
pay now authorized for the chief
= such staff corps or department"
& It is provided also that officers belo
; the grade Of lieutenant colonel in an
It of the above named departments sha
10 serve one year in the line, but shall nj
q: lose their places in the staff corps. III
10 above quoted provision is one of tt
). most important and radical chang
:, proposed by the bill. 1t amounts, In
a. feet, to the abolition of the staff corr
,. as a permanent institution In whit
~ the officers now serve throughout Il
le military career Provision is made f
If the retirement of any officer suspend
$ from duty. This would apply to Gre
eral Eagan, the commissary gener'
The president is authorized to emil
and organize the natives Of the Phil
pines in an organization, similar to t
cavalry and infantry to number 12,o
VI the officers for such organization to
selected from the regular army. re
ye iment Of Porto Ricans is also authe
Ct lied.
as DISCUSSED THE PROGRAM.
st Washington, Nov. 30.-The pr ,s!de
is and Speaker Henderson, took a n
as drive today together at which 1t. - y
W. derstood the program for the corni
d. s, sion Of congress was discussed.
he THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Washington, Nov. Slowing to
uit death Of Senators Davis and Gear,
IL presidents message probably will
is be transmitted to congress until Tu
M day.
cn 4 CABINET MEETING.