Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-17
THE CANAL TREATY AGREE ON ARMY BILL
Conclusions Reached by the
Conferees.
OFFICERS RETIREMENT
AS TO COST OF POST
BUILDINGS.
Porto Ricans to Be Eligible for En-
Hstment in the Regular
Army.

ustment in the Regular
Army.
The conferees on the army appropriation
| bill came to an agreement today.
| The Senate amendment appropriattng
s12 900 to enable the Secretary OF War to
purchase from Francis B. Hoffman the
manuscript Of the Historical Register OF
| the United States from 1889 to date and
| for printing 5000 copies Of the work was
retained in the bill. The information d.
vision of the adjutant generals office Is not
permitted under section 1872, Revised stat
utes, to subscribe for newspapers by
| provision agreed to. A Senate provision
| was agreed to to the effect that hereafter
| the purchase Of signal stores and equip
ment or the engagement of services not
personal, by the Signal Corps Of the army,
may be made by the Signal Corps In open
market in the manner common among busl-
ness men when the aggregate OF the
amount required does not exceed $2Oo, put
every such purchase or employment snali
be promptly reported to the Secretary OF
War.
Artillery Corps Electricians.
It Is also provided that there shall be
added to the Artillery Corps twenty-five
master electricians, to be enlisted by the
Secretary Of War, after such examination
as he may prescribe, who shall receive $40
a month and the allowance OF an ordnance
sergeant.
The provision that the Secretary OF war
NAV detail twenty retired officers when
ever in his judgment the public interests
may require 1t, is retained, but the autnor-
ity to so detail them ''as military attaches
at the United States embassies and iega-
lions abroad" Is stricken out.
Retirement Of Army officers.
The Senate amendment in relation to the
retirement of officers who saw service IN
the civil war Is agreed to, with further
amendment making 1t apply only to Off,
GERS who served in the civil war more than
one year. This amendment as agreed to by
the conferees reads as follows: "And any
officer of the army now on the active list
below the grade Of major general who
served with credit as an officer or an en-
listed man in the regular or volunteer serv-
ice during the civil war for more than one
year before April Is, 1865, may when re-
tired be retired by the President. by and
with the advice and consent OF the Senate,
with the rank and retired pay OF the next
higher grade. This section shall apply to
officers who have been retired on or since
the 18th day of August 1898. but shall not
apply to any officer whose service on the
active list does not exceed twenty years,
and shall not apply to any officer who has
any special act Of Congress. nor to any Of
ficer who has already received an advance
Of grade at the time OF retirement or with
view to retirement"
Right to Deposit Pay.
The right Of officers to deposit their pay
at per cent on the same terms as enlisted
men is agreed to, with an amendment that
no officer shall have such deposits at any
time in excess Of 5000.
The Senate amendments making appro-
priation to reimburse owners of private
property for damage sustained by gun firing
and mortar practice at several places Is
stricken out
Soldiers from Porto Rico.
shall be eligible for enlistment in the regu-
be ordered for service outside Of Porto
Rico Is agreed to with the following amend
ment:
Provided. that all volunteer officers
| now in Porto Rico provisional regiment
shall be mustered out on June 80, 1904 and
their places be filled by detail from the
| line Of the army; provided, further, that
any vacancy now existing. or which may
occur between now and June 80, 1904. shall
be filled by detail from the line Of the
| army
| For regular supplies for the quartermas-
| ter's department IS, 600, Co., as provided by
| the House. instead Of S. SOC. 900 as amended.
| Is allowed.
Army Post Buildings.
| The Senate appropriation OF $500, for
| army post buildings remains in the bill,
| with the provision that not more than $4O-
| 600 shall be expended for any one post
| building.
|. The post building at Fort Myer cost
| $4,000. but this provision will make that
an exception, as the conferees do not think
| that such expensive structures should be
put up for that purpose. The appropria ton
for transportation of the army and Its SUD-
plies is fixed at $685. 900.
The appropriation for the purchase and
presentation Of the battlefields of Balls
bluff and the appropriation Of $500, 1000 for
medical expenses Of furloughed soldiers Of
the Spanish war are both stricken from the
bill.
The provision Of 500. 900 for medical ex-
penses for furloughed officers Of the Span
| ish war was urged by claims agents. and it
was understood that a large part Of the
| money would go to such agents. The action
| of the conferees in striking out the appro-
| priation for this purpose was largely the
| result Of the belief that so much Of the
| money would go to such agents.
In other respects the bill was agreed to
| in the form in which it was passed by the
Senate.
Coalition Should Be Effected.
Representative Rose (dem.), after con-
ferring with State Senator Francis J.. Nc
Nulty, the chairman Of the democratic
steering committee, and other members of
| the party in the legislature, today issued a
| statement on the position Of democrats in
| this crisis.
| The statement says that there was a time
when one regular republican could have
| been elected to the long term senatorship
| by democratic aid. leaving the short term
| vacant. but that time has now passed.
The honor Of the state and the best inter-
| ests of its people, the statement goes on to
! say, demand that coalition between the
democrats and the regular republicans be
enected-in short. that the original demo-
| cratic proposition be accepted by the reeu-
| lars. It concludes:
An Honorable Proposition.
1.-THE democratic proposition throughout
| the entire session has been a most honora-
BILE and liberal one, and II misfortune shall
overtake the state by the election of Adj
dicks or of two Of his henchmen such
misfortune must be chargeable to the posi-
| ton that the regular republicans have
| taken"