Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-02-25

the gavel, but had distinguished him
self more as a debater than as a parlia-
mentarian. The great success of his
administration therefore, has been the
more surprising and pronounced. AL
though there have not been as many
turbulent scenes in the House during
this Congress as in some of its pre-
decessors, when party feeling has run
high, the Speaker has presided with a
firmness and a fairness that has won
for him the admiration and esteem OF
members on both sides. He has Great
ed no animosities and his reelection as
Speaker of the next House is a fore
gone conclusion.
Mr.. Payne, of New York, who be-
came chairman of the Ways and Means
Committee, upon the death of the late
Representative Dingley, of Maine, sue
ceeded to the noor leadership of the
majority, and Mr.. Richardson, of Tenn
essee, became floor leader of the minor
ity, succeeding Mr.. Bailey, Of Texas,
who retired from the leadership of his
side of the House at the close of. the
last Congress.
The appropriations Of the present
Congress will reach an unusually large
sum-, aggregating for the two sessions
approximately 81, 457, 269, 457. This is
about $110, 900, 600 less than the aggre-
gate appropriations of the preceding
Congress, which, however, covered the
period of the Spanish war, when the
appropriations ran in a single year up
to 1898, 231 ,615. The totals for the last
two sessions of the present Congress,
as recently summarized by Chairman
Cannon, of the House Committee on
Appropriations, is as follows:
First session, including sinking
fund, s71O,15O,S62.
Appropriations second session, in
Guiding sinking fund, STAT 1855.
The act recognizing the army and
placing the military establishment on a
permanent basis probably is the most
important piece of general legislation
enacted during the present session, and
one of the most important measures
placed on the statute books in recent
years. Following the wal with Spain,
a temporary military establishment
was provided, partly of volunteers and
partly of regulars, this system being
limited in operation until July LIST
next. The termination Of this system
tive to supply a military organization
to take it's place. Instead of planning
for a emporary extension of the volun-
teer system, Secretary Root devised a
measure for a complete reorganization
of the army on modern military lines,
with a maximum force of 100 900 men
and a minimum of about 60, 1000. Much
time was gained by the parliamentary
device of making this a substitute for
a military organization bill previously
passed by the Senate. Strong efforts
were made to enact a law before the
holiday recess, on the ground that the
needs of the military service in the
Philippines demanded early action.
The House passed the bill before the
holidays, but there was considerable
delay in the Senate and it vas not until
February End that the measure became
effective as a LAW. AS finally enacted
it provides a standing army to consist
of fifteen regiments Of cavalry, a
corps of artillery, thirty regiments OF
infantry. one lieutenant general, six
major generals. fifteen brigadier gener-
ais and the usual staff corps.
The old regimental organization OF
the artillery was discontinued. Au-
thority was given the President to en-
list natives for the Philippines when
necessity requires, not to exceed 1900
men,. A provisional regiment OF Porto
Ricans is also provided. A feature of
the act which caused much controversy
is the prohibition of the sale of beer,
wine or any intoxicating liquors in
any post exchange or canteen, trans
port or other military property of the
United States. The financial legislation
of the Congress has been of unusual
Importance, and has placed on the
statute books the law establishing the
gold standard, providing for the re-
demption and reissue of the interest
bearing bonded obligations of the
United States, establishing a perma-
nent gold reserve of $3.50, 600, 900, regu-
lating national banks. and making nu-
merous provisions respecting circula-
ton and the tax on circulation. This
measure was drafted by leaders of
both houses prior to the meeting of
Congress and became a caucus meas
ure. After its passage some question
arose as to the maintenance of parity
of the metals under the terms of the
bill. At the present session bills to
rectify this feature have been report