The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-14
FIGHT AGAINST CROZIER
1T PROBABLY WILL END IN DEFEAT
OF THE OPPOSITION.
Confirmation of the Captain as Chief
of the Bureau of Ordnance Con-
coded by His Opponents.

WASHINGTON. June 13-with the ex-
ception of a few minutes devoted TO the
reading of the Presidents message and the
time necessary to confirm two nominations
at the beginning of the session, the SEN
ate spent the entire day in considering
the nomination of Captain William Crozier
TO be chief of the Bureau of Ordnance. The
principal speeches of the day were made by
Senators Cockrell and Proctor. the former
favoring the confirmation and the latter
opposing that course.
Senator Proctor referred at length to
the effect of the law of Feb. 3 1901, which
it is claimed makes an exception in cases
like that of General Crozer. Section 26
of that law provides that no person shall
be appointed chief of the staff corps who
is below the rank Of lieutenant colonel
but this provision is accompanied by an
amendment providing for exceptions. The
friends of General Crozier contend that
these exceptions open a way for his ap-
pointment but Proctor argued that such
was not the case, and declared that under
the law he clearly was ineligible. Senator
Proctor also referred to the fact that Gen
eral Crozier is the patentee of the Buffing-
ton-Crozier gun carriage, and he and others
who stood with him asserted that no Of
fcer possessing such an interest should
be put at the head of a bureau which con-
trolls the use of such patents He also
asserted that it was unusual to go so low
as the rank of captain in selecting the
heads of staff corps. and said that this pro-
ceeding had had no precedent since the
civil war.
senator Cockren said the apnointment
had haan because ba
fitness of Captain Crozier for the position
and that he in every way personally
and professionally worthy of the compli-
ment which the appointment applied He
called attention 10 General Crozier's rec
ord as an ordnance officer, and SAID there
were many precedents for the promotion
of officers from low rank TO high, instanc-
ing the cases OF Generals Wood and Bell
especially.
Senator Proctor called attention to the
fact that Generals Wood and Bell were
line officers and not corps officers which
he said made a considerable difference
Senator Foraker, in brief address, said
that as member of the committee ON
military affairs he originally had opposed
General Crozier's nomination, but that he
had done so because at that time the gem
eral was a member of the board of ord
nance and fortificatiOns, which fact he
did not believe was consistent with his APP
pointment to this position, owing TO the
generals patent interests Now. however.
since General Crozier had been removed
from that place he did not consider the
nomination objectionable and was prepared
TO vote for consideration Senators War
rem and Harris called special attention
| 10 the fact that General Crozer has trans
ferred all his United States patents to the
government and that he had realized moth
| ing from his foreign patents
The session adjourned without the Senate
! reaching a conclusion on the question and
no day was fixed for continuing considera-
ton owing 10 pressure OF other matters
General Crozier's confirmation is cener-
ally conceded by his opponents