The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-05-20
ham, Clymer, and Smith, of Pennsylva-
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] Il
message from the President transmitting
a communication from the Secretary OF
State in regard to the fishery commits
| sion, Referred.
The bill for the election Of delegate
| to the House from the Indian Territory
was printed and recommitted.
On motion of Mr.. Smith, Of Pennsyl-
yania, the Senate amendments 10 the pen
sion appropriation bill were non-con-
Cured IN, aud Messrs. Smith, Of Penn
sylvsnia, Hewitt, of New York, and
Sparkle were appointed conterees.
The House then went into Committee
of the Whole (Mr. Springer in the Chair
on the army appropriation bill.
Mr.. Hewitt, of New York, who has
charge of the bill, in his statement said
he regarded the crucial test Of statesman
ship to be q reduction of the burdens OF
taxation, so that the hand of labor might
reap its reward and keep it when earned.
That idea had been the polar star which
the Committee had set before 1t. The re-
duction of expenditures in 1877 had
been S25000,000. Mr.. Hewitt reatirmed
his statement and added that the eIpen-
ditures should be still further reduced
25,OOOOOO. The cost of the army =
1860 amounted to forty-fve cents
per head of the entire
population, and in 1877 t. "a cents
That made difference of between $4,-
100000 and $5,000,000. The pending Dill
eftectedR saving of 1887 900. and that
without touching the psy OF the soldiers
or of officers, and without reducing tins
strength of the army by a single musket
This saving was effected by an sdmlnis-
tratIon OF the test Of population. Inc
army contains now, S compared with
1860, a surplus of GOT officers and 7,22o
men, on the test OF army posts now and
in 1860, ffty-three OF .he present pests
being useless. There was also
surplus in the strength of the army.
He thought there was now no danger OF
an Indian war, and as 20 the use Of the !
army to put down labor strikes,
said it was rot in accordance with t.
republican principle of the Govern
ment to keep an army to restrain any
portion OF the people from exercising any
Just right. If these strikes gave rise to |
any disorder, IL was the duty of the States
individually to repress them. What |
the government ought to do WAS to or
ganize national military system |.
throughout the country. He WAS IN
favor of encouraging rife clubs, for Re
publican country need never tear disor-
der when the people were armed. AS to
communism, which was hsunted before |
Congress as the reason why the army |
should be increased, that never had had |
q footing and never WouIt have |
a footing in this land, unless |
Congress should undertake to police the |
country and withdraw the army. If .
that were done Communism would break
out in every town in the country, but if
Communism should break out the Presi.
dent was authorized to call out the
militia. If the militia could not be trust
ed republican institutions were failure.
He then spoke of the manner in which
the committee proposed to deal with al
lowances for forage. fuel and quarters.
" hile the pay proper Of general OF
the army was $4,000, his actual pay,
with commutation allowance, was $l7,-
0OO pay proper of a acknowledgement
$ll 900, actual pay $l3,066i pay proper
OF major general $500, actual pay
$9504; pay proper of q colonel $3,5OO, or .
with longevity pay $4,000, active pay
$6,I75, and 80 on all the way down. The
real pay averaged from % to 90 per cent
over the pay proper. The bill proposed
TO change all these allowances for forage,
fuel and quarters. Forage would be
supplied to those officers who used horses
in the public service, and none would be
supplied to those who didn't so use
horses. Quarters would be supplied only
at military stations and in the field. Fuel
would be supplied by the government at
the rate of So per cord of wood. This
would be benefsction 10 officers, and a
saving OF at lesst 100000 to the govern
ment On the whole, the provisions OF
the bill on the subject Of compensation
were liberal and ample. He claimed the
bill didn't reduce the strength of the army
by one musket; that it didn't force out
OF the army single officer who chose to
remain in it, and who ought to remain in
it; that it did not reduce the psy Of the
army, but only cut of all allowances that
are an abuse that it leaves army officers
with better pay than is received in civil
life for equally important services or that
is received by officers OF the navy; that
the savings effected were in the admins
tration, and can be largely increased and
that by it relief would be extended to
tax payers to the amount OF nearly
$4,0000OO.
Mr.. McCook criticised the reductions
proposed. Referring TO the bill pre-
pared by the chairman of the Committee
on military affairs, he said the section Of
the bill providing for the dlsband-
ment of the army had been seriously con-
templsted, and had received the ssnc.
ton Of the distinguished members of that
Committee, and probably ofthe Appro-
pristion Committee.
Mr. Hewitt object to any such
statement IS to the Committee on Appro- |
priatons. 1t is untirely unfounded IN
fact
Mr. McCook-I said possibly.
Mr.. Htwi.-I still object to the
statement, srd ! ask the gentleman to
contine himself TO facts.
Mr.. MCCook-It is sn inquest oned
fact that such section providing tor the
disbsDdment of the army in case of the
failure Of Congress to pass the army sp-
preparation bill, as incorporated IN the
army bill; that it WIS discussed and de-
tended and that for over two months 1t
was obstInately adhered to, and that
should make US hesitate before agreeing
10 follow other suggestions from the
same source, even when adopted BY the
Committee on Appropriations.
The committee then rose and the
Speaker stated that he would be absent
the early part Of next week.
Nj Eden offered resolution appoint
ing Mr.. Sayler Speaker pro tenn. 7
Adopted.