The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-05

| vision the Army Reorganization bill ana
| the Fortifications Appropriation bill. The
| Reorganization bill changes the present
system of permanent appointments in GER
tain staff corps 10 one of detail by grad
| ual process. as the officers now in those
corps go out OF active service. officers ap-
pointed to these staff corps under the
| present law are permanently separated
from the line. The bill makes the separa-
ton temporary, not exceeding four years.
| but allowing a re-detail after going back
to duty with troops for two years.
This ensures that these staff depart
| ments shall be in touch and harmony with
| the fighting branches. 1t does not change
| the status of any of the members OF the
| present STATS or AFFECT their duties or OPP
| portunities for promotion. This feature
of the bill does not increase or diminish
| the total number of officers in the Army
| or affect their rank. The new system be-
| gins in each corps only when vacancies
/ occur at the foot of the list and as all va
cancies are TO be filled by detail from the
! line this ensures a certain amount of
| knowledge of the practical workings of
the Army on the part of all staff officers
coming into the departments affected.
The Artillery Service.
The new system is not applied TO the
Corps Of Engineers, Medical Department,
Pay Department, or Judge Advocate Cen
| eral Department. 1t discontinues the
regimental organization OF the artillery
and establishes an artillery corps of two
| branches, viz, 126 batteries of coast ar
| tillery and Is batteries of field artillery.
| II effects saving Of foTty-two company
officers over what would be required for
fh.,a II.
mental organization.
The bill provides for Il, AS men, distrib-
uted as follows: One hundred and twenty
| SIX batteries, of 49,. Il .23S men; sixteen
| held, OF 162, 2,5J2 men; two siege of las,
go men; ten bands, of %, $50 men; regi-
mental sergeant majors q men: battalion
sergeant majors, q men. Total 17,44S
men.
BY the. provisions of the bill the major
general commanding the Army is given
the rank, pay, and allowances of lieuten-
ant general, and his private staff have the
rank, pay, and allowances authorized for
the stan OF a lieutenant general. Adjutant
General Ccrbin is made a major general.
with the pay and allowances of tAat rank.
Some opposition developed to the SET
ton making General Miles a lieutenant
general, but that portion advancing Adju-
tant General Corbin was not amended in
any way. When the bill was called up by
Mr.. Proctor, Senator Tillman offered an
amendmeHf to section Is, making it read:
That the senior major general command
ing the Army shall have the rank, pay. ana
allowances of a Lieutenant general. and his
personal staff shall have the rank, pay. and
allowances authorized for the staff of a
lieutenant general
This amendment had the effect Of strik--
ing out the provision making the section
apply only TO General Miles, the present
commander of the Army. 1t was agreed to.
Mr.. Berry's Proposition.
Mr.. Berry then moved TO strike out the
section as amended, as he saw no use for
the rank of lieutenant general.
Mr. Bate took the same position and
spoke against the tendency to increase
the rank of Army officers and to increase
the strength of the Army.
Mr.. Sewell opposed the amendment and
eulogized General Miles as a man dis
tinguished In every sense. General Miles
he said, had lost his great opportunity by
the closing of the war. The United States
had now an Army of eco men. Such
an Army in Europe would have ten major
generals, two lieutenant generals, one gen
eral and one field marshal.
Mr.. Lodge sent to the clerks desk and
had read an extract from report of Gen
eral Hancock in 1863, highly compliment
tary to General (then Colonel Miles.
Mr.. Teller opposed the notion and said
that if there was any man in the public
service, who deserved such legislation it
was the major general now commanding
the Army.
The vote was taken on Mr. Berry's mo-
ton to strike out section Is and it was de-
feated by the following vote:
Yeas-Bate. Berry. Butler, Clay, Culberson
Kenney, Money, and Vests.
Nays-Aliison, Bacon, Baker, Bard, Burrows
Chandler, Cockrell, Davis, Deboe Elkius Fair
banks, Foraker. Foster, Frye Gallinger, Gear
Hale, Hanshrough, Harris Hawley, H9ar, Jones
OF Nevada, Kean. Kyle, Lindsay, Lodge, McComas
Mason Nelson, Perkins, Pettigrew, Pettus. Plat
Of Connecticut, Proctor. Quarles, Rawlins. Ross
sewel, shoup, Simon, Stewart, Teller, Yelling
ton and Wolcott-ii.
Senator Kenny then offered an amend
ment creating a veterinary corps as fol-
lows:
That the veterinary corps shall consist
OF chief veterinarian with the rank, pay.
and allowances of a colonel, United States
Army; an assistant chief veterinarian with
the rank. pay, and allowances of a major,
United States Army, to be promoted in
1905 after competitive satisfactory eXami
nation from the grade of veterinarian and
captain; four veterinarians with the rank
pay, and allowances of a captain of cavalry,
to be promoted in 1903, after competitive
satisfactory examination from the grade
OF assistant veterinarian and first lieu
tenant; ten assistant veterinarians with
the rank, pay, and allowances of first
lieutenant OF cavalry, to be promoted after
satisfactory examination from the grade
of assistant veterinarian and second lieu
tenant after one years service in this
grade; twenty assistant veterinarians with
the rank, pay, and allowances OF a second
lieutenant of cavalry, to be appointed after
satisfactory examination:
Provided that these twenty positions
shall include the veterinarians, first-class.
provided for in the act of March ., 1899,
who have passed satisfactory eXamina-
tions, and also the six veterinarians, sec
ond class who are nov employed in the
Army under said act OF March ?. 1899.
'Ail rules and regulations governing the
veterinary corps shall be made by the
Secretary of War, but the chief veteri- |
marian shall report directly to that officer.
For pay of officers Of the veterinary
corps. $33, 500"
The Kenncy Amendment Adopted.
There was long discussion on the
amendment pro AZ d con. letter from the
Secretary of War adverse to the PROPOSE |
ton was read by Mr.. Proctor, who
also opposed it, II was advocated by sew
eraI Senator'S including Senator CALM |
ger. himself a physician, who claimed that
veterinary doctors were educated men and
that their profession was just as honorable
nc arv other one As to the Secretary CT
wars opposition to it. Mr.. Gallinger said
that the Secretary knew less On the sub ,
iect than General Miles or the Quarter |
master General, who were In favor of it, !