The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-15
Bill Passed by the Senate Providing
Pensions for Mrs. Ruckle and
other Indianians.
ARMY STAFF REORGANIZATION
PROVISIONS OF A BILL PREPARED
BY THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
Presidents Decision in the Schley
Case Discussed by the Cabinet
MIR. Payne's Announcement.
.necial 70 the Ind,ananoIis Journal

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Feb. H-Representative
Gordon. of Ohio, has, by request of Henry
Blatchley, of the state canal commission,
introduced a bill of great interest to the
oil industry of Indiana. 1t provides that
2614 acres Of the ST. Mary's reservoir, still
held by the United States government. be
conveyed to the State of Ohio. Should this
bill. and also a measure now pending be-
fore the Ohio Legislature. pass, this val
liable oil section would be disposed Of to
private interests. Wells have been drilled
all around this government tract, and are
a source of great revenue. Numerous at
tempts have been made by the Standard
Oil Company and others to secure this gov
eminent possession, but they have always
been unsuccessful. AS soon as the State
abandons the canal system, as is proposed,
and the property is disposed of to private
individuals the reservoir would be drained
and covered with oil derricks.
XXX
Representative Loud, chairman of the
committee postoffices and post roads,
has succeeded in securing the permission
of the committee on rules for consider
alton of his bill providing for the distribu-
ton of rural mail by the contract sys-
tem-the same system as Is used on the
star routes-instead of the rural carriers
being appointed under the present plan
He already had a favorable vote from
every member of his committee, with one
exception. Under the present plan the
congressman has the most of the say as
to who shall be appointed carriers on the
rural routes. Under the new plan the de-
livery of the mails in every county VIII
be let to the lowest bidder and the con-
gressmen will therefore have no dictation
In the matter.
The Senate this afternoon passed the fol-
lowing Senate pension bills: Elizabeth A.
Shaw, Greensburg. $50 per month; Ida C.
Emory, $50; Jennie c. Ruckle, widow of
Nicholas r. Ruckle, Indianapolis, $50; La
fayette d. Dickey, widow of Charles ].
Dickey, of Indianapolis, $50. and Joseph
Burch, $50. The Senate also passed the
following House pension bills, which are
Charles NJ. Lee, first lieutenant Company
b, Eleventh Indiana Infantry, $50; Martin
V Halfway, Company +, Forty-Fourth
stra a' corporal, Company E, twenty
Second Indiana Infantry, SIG.
J. F. Lawson, postmaster at Spencer, is
in Washington on business.
Maxwell Evarts of New York. made an
argument before the Senate committee on
immigration to-day in opposition to the
passage of the Chinese exclusion bill agreed
upon by the Western members of Congress.
He appeared as the representative OF the
Pacific Mail Steamship Company, and said
that his especial desire was to secure the
alteration of the bill so as to facilitate
the transit of Cinnamon through the United
States He did not; he said, object Ito to
drawn on the lines of the Geary law, but
he thought the authority to regulate the
transit of Chinese to neighboring countries
should be left in the hands of the secretary
of the treasury. Mr.. Evarts will continue
his argument tomorrow.
Senator Hoar to-day offered the follow
ing amendment to the Philippine tariff
bill now pending in the Senate, the pro-
vision to be inserted at the end of the
bill: NO person in the Philippine islands
shall under the authority of the United
States be convicted of treason by any tri-
bunaI civil or military, unless on the tes-
timony Of two witnesses to the same overt
act, or on confession in open court"
The War Departments bill for the re-
organization of the army staff branches
and the creation of a general staff corps
was transmitted to-day to Chairman Hull.
of the House military committee, and by
him introduced. 1t consolidates the quar-
termaster's, subsistence and pay depart
ments into a division of supplies under an
officer ranking as major general, with brig
adler generals in charge of the branches
of supplies, commiSsary, finance and trans
portation. The general staff corps is TO
consider the military policy of the cOun-
try and prepare comprehensive plans for
the national defense and for the mobiliza-
ton of the military forces in time of war. "
1t also has charge Of all questions affect
army and navy, plans of campaign, arma-
ment, equipment, etc. n lieutenant general
is at the head of this board, with one major
general, one brigadier general. four
colonies and numerous officers of lower
rank.
The provision creating the general staff
corps is as follows: THE President is au-
thorized to detail from the army at large
officers of the rank hereinafter named,
who shall be designated the general staff
CORPS and whose duties shall be to con-
slider the military policy of the country
and prepare comprehensive plans for the
national defense and for the mobilization
of the military forces in time of war; to
consider and report on all questions affect
ing the welfare and efficiency of the army,
including organization, methods of admin
istration, armament, equipment, transpor-
tation, supplies. distribution, mobilization,
military preparations, plans of campaign,
collection of military information and such
other professional matters as may be re-
ferred to them; to devise means for the
cooperation OF the military and naval
forces of the United States with view TO
harmonious action in time of war; to pre-
pare and supervise the preparation and
arrangement of material for The military
history of the United States, and to serve
as an agency through which all means of
professional military information shall be.
at any time, at the disposal Of the War
Department"
The chief of the general staff is to have
the rank of lieutenant general and is TO
be detailed by the President from officers
not below the grade of brigadier general.
With him are associated a major general,
one brigader genera, four colonies, six
lieutenant colonies, twelve majors, twelve
captains. There is a proviso that General
Miles shall be chief Of the general staff
while he continues in active service. In
spection OF troops is 10 be made by the
general staff, and the inspection of money
accounts is transferred 20 the Treasury
Department. Provision is made for the
gradual absorption Of the inspector gen.
erals branch by the general staff corps.
and its ultimate discontinuance. Provision
is made for the promotion of noncommis-
stoned officers to the grade Of second lieu
tenant by a system of examinations, and a
number of other provisions designed 10 in
crease military efficiency are incor-
pOrated in the measure.
The secretary of war is given authority
10 take possession of vessels for military
purposes upon "A reasonable charter price.
Patents by army officers are made the
property Of the United States. The num-
Der of military cadets to be appointed by
One of the subjects discussed at the Cab
met meeting to-day was the reply which
the President will make TO the appeal OF
Admiral Schley. The President has given