The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-01-15
PASSED BY THE SENATE JUST AS 1T
CAME FROM THE HOUSE
PRIVATE PENSION BILL GAY
House Puts Them Through With q
Rush -One Hundred and Seventy
Such Bills Passed-Senate Stin at
Provision Giving the President Dis
Army-Senator Bacon's Warming.
SENATE.

SENATE.
Washington. January 11.-At the
opening the house apportionment bill
VISA reported ~favorably by the census
| committee, but the measure went over
on objection OF Senator Pettus. of Ala
bama.
Consideration then was resumed of
the army reorganization bill.
Senator Hoar, of Massachusetts,.
formerly offered the amendment OF
which he had heretofore given notice,
providing that ne further military force
shall be used in the Philippine islands
except such as may be necessary to
keep order in places in the peaceahle
possession of the United States. etc. II
was laid on the table-32 to l9, on mo-
ton of Senator Carter, OF Montana.
Senator Pettigrew's pro-
viding h one-thir6 of the appoint
ments to commissioned rank in the reg
ular army should be made from officers
of the army was defeated-33
TO 16.
Senator Daniel. of Virginia, offered
an amendment providing that
officers may be designated for exam
ination and those who their
fitness may be appointed to the grade
of captain in the regular army, as well
as to the grade of first and second lieu
tenant, as provided for by the senate
committees amendment.
Senator Daniel addressed the senate
| at length in support of his amendment.
Without desiring to discriminate
| against the regular officers, he said, he
felt it due to the volunteer officers that
| they should have proper opportunity
for advancement.
Senator Proctor, of Vermont. replied
| that, unfortunately, the United States
had no system whereby an officer or
enlisted man in the army could be re-
| warded for gallant or conspicuous ser
vices by promotion. He believed that
/ the proposed amendment would operate
! as a great injustice to scores of regular
officers. The amendment was agreed
to-24 to %.
i Senator Bacon, of Georgia, moved to
| strike out the provision that the presi-
| dent. in his discretion may increase the
| number of ~corporalS in any troop or
| cavalry to eight and the number OF prl-
Yates to seventy-siX. He continued
that his was one of the paragraphs
! that conferred upon the president dis
| cretionary power to regulate the size
of the army.
Senator Platt, of Connecticut, said he
had none of the doubt or fear OF trou-
BILE that seemed to worry some senators
as to the increase of the army to 1000
men. Such an army could do the coun-
try no harm. He said he feared the
pending bill did not confer upon the
president authority to increase the ar
my from So, 900 to 100, 900 at any time
/ That power. he thought ought to be
conferred upon the president. The
president ought to be regarded as q
T., conscientious, able and patriotic man.
Senator Bacon, replied he bought the
! onr1nfru had fallen unOn an evil day
when a senator could rise in this cham
Der and express views which he re
garded as dangerous to the liberties o.
the people and productive OF one mar
power, and it was an evil day truly
when that senator reflected the attitude
of the dominant party
The passage of this BILL" declared
the Georgia senator, will mark al
! epoch in the United States Senator
may scott, but it is, nevertheless, true
that the passage of a bill by which tn
president shall control the size of tn
arm" is a march toward empire IL 4
the evident purpose of this bill to elimi
nate for all time the volunteer system
from the military establishment Of tn
country and create for all time a grea
standing army. The issue is not to b
evaded. Shall it be in the future tn
province Of the president to raise arm
les or shall that be the province of con
gress?"
The army bill was then laid aside an
Senator Carter, of Montana, chairmaI
of the census committee, asked 10
unanimous contest that the house ap
"portionment bill be considered.
A strong disposition was manifesto
to oppose immediate consideration @
the measure, but actual objection wa
{ not offered, and, while two or thre
. senators were discussing among them
selves what should be done. the bi
was passed.
At 5:25 o'clock p. m, after a brief eZ
ecutive session. the senate adjourned.
: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Not since the Fifty-first congress Ia
the house passed as many private per
/, sion bills at a single sitting as it di
. today. 1t was pension day and, in Al
l 10 special pension bills were passed
today's session. The most. importaI
was one to increase the pension
General Americas v. Rice, from $50
n 500. General Rice made a gallant re-
ord during the rebellion He is an G.
q congressman from Ohio.
: Mr.. Talbert, of South Carolina, va
I disposed at first to insist upon a qu'
@ rum on the motion to go into committ'
TO consider the pension bills, but SUI
sequently withdrew his demand.
q Tomorrow the house will proceed wit
! the consideration of the river and ha
Dor bill.
q At 4:55 o'clock the house adjourne
e Durham Sun: The Asheville CitiZ'