Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-30
PROPOSED CHANGES IN ARMY
Several Bills Introduced in House at
Request Of Secretary Tsft.
ONE PROVIDES FOR LARGE RESERVE
Fifty Thousand Wen TO Ne CARRIED
ON Rolls and Given Ten
Day Camp Drill AM
nuRlIy.

NAottiN1 lONs Jan. s'.-SSCItldi4 ldlb
today sent to congress drafts Of several i'm
portant bills designed to increase the ef-
ficiency Of the army. Accompanying each
bill was a letter OF tronsmittal explaining
1t. The bills were, introduced today by Rep
resentative Hull, chairman OF the house
committee on military affairs.
one of these measures provides for a
separation OF the field from the coast ar
tillery. retaining the corps organization of
the latter, The coast artillery is increased
by officers and men necessary for the tor
pedo defense of the harbors and an at
tempt is made by increase of pay to remedy
the present, impossibllity of retaining
highly-trained men. !, The bill provides for
greater hexibility in the companies of coast
artillery. The field artillery is increased by
six batteries and is given. regmental or
eanization The total increase in both
ransements provided, for Is 5000 men and
the estimated cost for the first year is
100000. In addition there will be an esti-
mated expense OF, s5,5O0,cO0 for barracks, gun
sheds, etc, to cover 9 period of five years.
Reserve Army to ne Created.
Another bill Is designed to provide a par
tial reserve for coast defenses in case Of
actual impending war The bill provides
will have served not less than one complete
enlistment in the regular army. They are
to be enlisted for five-year terms and to be
carried on the rolls of the military secre-
tary's, Office, to be allowed to live where
they please in the. United States, but to be
subject to call by the president. of ten days
each year for instruction, and on the out
break of a foreign war to be called into
active service. Secretary TAFT explains that
the bill provides means of enabling the
president to comply with the act of Febru-
airy 2, 1901, to increase the army to 10000
men in case of an emergency. The total
cost is estimated at about $2O00,OO0 a year
The secretary says i"s
The necessity for reserve of trained men
was shown. at the outbreak of the Spanish
secure men for the regular army who had
had previous training, which necessitated
regiments going into battle at their peace
strength. The purpose of the bill liz simply
| to have available a trained force immedi-
ately to bring the regular army to IL
strength now authorized by law, which
would practically double its efficiency. ana
! the annual increased expenditures for that
| purpose would only be about per cent of
the present cost of the permanent military
More Pay for Musicians.
Another bill provides for the increasing
|
numbers of men and the scale of pay. The
secretary strongly urges the passage of a
bill increasing the pay of noncommis-
stoned officers.
One. bill provides for Ia system of retire
ment by selection With a view to promote
| advancement. ~S,,i ~
The secretary says of, this bill:
1t seeks TO provide a remedy for condl-
ton of affairs in the cavalry. infantry and
artillery. bad now but certain to become
! intolerabe unless a, cure s applied.
| That condition is the result OF stagnatof
in promotion combined with the unaYoid-
able failure in practice OF retiring and ex'
aiming boards 70, remedy the evil.
The bills the passage of (which tie secre-
tary advocates, provides ,foi, the JfgahIza.
zion OF a Service CORPS Of 1900 men attached
fire perfofmancesufT work heretofore per
formed by soldiers e" 'i'
Little Contract work ON Canal.
1t can be stated authoritatiyely that N,
considerable part OF the work of the con
structiOn work of the Panama canal will b,
let at contract in the next two or tire,
years. The contractors lacking knowledg,
of local conditions, climatic difficulties
labor problems ana other contingencies in
cident to tropical work are obliged to Ii,
protect themselves 1t will be for the gov
ernment. it is explained, to demonstrate tn,
actual unit prices of work. which will prob
ably require two or three years, and thel
contractors may be Invited to bid on bash
of well-established physical conditions
Magoon In Washington.
Governor Magoon of the canal zone ar
rived in Washington from New York to
day and came at once to Secretary Taft Ill
was called here to attend the meeting of tn
commission which must pass formally upoi
the merits of the majority and minority re
ports of the board of consulting engineers
| - More Money for Militia.
The house committee on militia today de
cided to make a favorable report on tn
Morrell bill increasing the annual appropri
alton for the militia from 100000 4
s2,OOcO0O.
Bill for state GeolOgists.
The house committee on mines and min
, ing today decided to make a favorable re
. port on the Martin bill to appoint geolo
gist In each state to report on the minera
wealth and mining interests.