The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1900-12-02

about 20 working days. counting out
the usual Christmas recess before
''time" will be called on this congress
and it must step down and out
Without taking up any new business
this session will have on It's hands all
that it can reasonably attend to. The
regular appropriation bills, the consid-
GRAFTON of 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 In the
history of congress so far as initiative
is concerned. Nearly 5000 bills orig
mated i'm the senate and more than H.
600 in the house OF 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 ses-
sion. 1t may be said. however, that
the greater part OF this unfinished bust
ness can remain unfinished until the
crack of doom without detrlment to the
public interests. But there are num-
Der of important pending measures
which ought to he disposed of. and, so
far as possible, the calendar should be
cleared up and left unincumbered for
the next congress.
One Of the matters likely to receive
early consideration Is the proposition
for the reorganization of he 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. If II shall be de-
cided to recommend a standing army
OF $1,000, 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 If the law which discharged
them on July 1, 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 is repealed they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 Till of the
last session and is more likely to be
the one adopted. This plan proposes
enough companies of GO men each to
make an army of $4,000 men. this be-
ing the minimum strength. The law is
to be so framed, however, that the
companies can be increased to 40 men
each. which would bring the total num-
Der up to 100000 men. AS at present
contemplated there are to be no addi-
tional officers, the increase being en-
tirely of enlisted men. In view of the
fact that under the existing law the
president, as commander in chief of
the army of the United States, will be
in command of only 27.0OO men. the
party of the administration will I'M
questionably take early and vigorous
steps toward the enactment OF an ar
my reorganization Dill which will meet
the approval Of the chief executive.
Doubtless there will be "a spirited fight
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 it viii probably come in connec-
ton with the regular naval appropria-
ton bill. According to the report of
Rear Admiral Crowninshield Oh the
conditions and needs of the navy. there
should be something like 1000 more Of
fcers and 5000 more men to bring it
up to a state Of efficiency. While we
are building new warships we are not,
the naval men contend, providing sufi-
GENTLY for manning them. In this con-
nection it is also probable that there
will be considered a plan for maintain
ing naval reserve force.
The president in bis message at tina