Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-24
AGAINST HULL BILL,
Report Of Minority Of House
Military Committee
| EVILS OF BIG STANDING ARMY
Its Menace to Liberty and lis
Enormous Cost.
MR. HAYS PRoPooED SUBSTITUTE.
1t Embodies Every Need of the Gov
crnment I'm It's Present Condition,
and Preserves, With Scrupuious
Care. the Citizens Liberties.
MR. HAYS PRoPooED SUBSTITUTE.
II Embodies Every Need of the Gov
crnment I'm It's Present CONDITION,
Care, the Citizens Liberties.

| WASHINGTON, December 8-The
minority OF the House Committee OF
Military Affairs to-day fled with the
Clerk their report in opposition to the
Hull bill for the increase of the regular
army 10 100000 men. IT is as follows:
"-he minority of the committee dissent
from the views of the majority or the
committee because the bAi reported
makes a permanent standing army for
the United States of over 100000 men.
Such an army is not necessary TO be
maintained i'm this country now, either
because of our relations to the ISLANDS
of the sea- or because of any necessity
which I'm the past year has arisen in this
country itself. The evils Of standing
armies are too well known to be dilated
upon here. Such a standing army as the
one proposed would in time of peace be
q menace to the liberty of citizens, ana
in time of war would not be sufficient 10
meet successfully the armies of the first
class Powers of the world. Happily we
are so situated that a large standing
army is not a necessity. and would only
be a luxury. to be supported by the taxes
of the people.
ENORMOUS ANNUAL COST.
"It IS estimated that the Hull bill will
cost the people annually the sum or
$3.50 600 OCO. . This would be a permanent
charge updf the people. one hundred and
and forty-five million dollars are being
paid annually TO the soldiers Of the civil
war and the war with Spain. thus placing
q permanent charge of S2l5 OO0,0O upon
the people of the United States, and this
To maintain the military establishment
alone. to say nothing of the navy.
"The passage of this bill means the
practical destruction Of the National
Guard and the volunteer troops Of the
States. With such a large standing army
the citizen soldiery of the country would
feel that IL was not necessary 10 prepare
for war in time of peace, nor to go to
war i'm time of war.
"The taxes which are now so burdensOme
to the people will continue to be collected,
and will rather be increased than other
wise No hope Of economical admins
tration can be INDUCED in while such
permanent and lavish expenditure is pro-
yided for.
"It IS well understood that the great
corporate concerns Of the country are de-
manding this large standing army. Their
reasons for such a demand are too obvious
to be pointed out These interests want
force TO enforce their demands and a
President dominated by such interests
would have, with such a standing army,
the means at his hand to invade the liber-
ties of the people, to suppress freedom OF
speech, and to desecrate the ballot-boX
Itself.
'It is needless. however, TO continue 10
point out the many evils Of this bill; suf-
fee il TO say that boIh in form and sub
stance it overturns the policy which has
been pursued so successfully by this gov
ernment for so many years, and launches
the country upon course that will lead
to the destruction of the Liberties of the
people.
THE PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE.
'The minority, holding the views above
expressed. have thought they owed It to
the country to present to the House of
a substitute for the bill
reported by the majority. They herewith
report said substitute. as embOdying every
need of the government in its present con-
lition. and at the same time preserving
with scrupuous care the liberty Of the
citizen and avoiding the evils OF a great
standing army.
The substitute provides for a perma-
nent standing army of 10000 enlisted men,
about the number in the army before the
war with Spain. The organization pro-
yided for in the substitute conforms TO
what il has been. with some few impOr-
tant changes. A larger number of men is
for the artillery than usual, by
Of 4igatF
upon which large sums
have been spent. The substitute also pro-
vides for 5000 volunteers. to be taken |
from the States and Territories and the |
District Of Columbia i'm proportion 10 |
population. These volunteers are 10 be |
ont Of the service Of the Unitek
States within two years from the date or |
the passage Of the act unless sooner ter |
minated. Their organization Is TO be the |
same as that Of the regular army.
PREFERENCE TO VOLUNTEERS.
"Volunteer organizations now in service !
are 10 be- given preference as TO re-enlist- |
ment All volunteers now I'm the service !
Df the United States are TO be mustered |
,ut within sixty days from the passage |
lf this act. The substitute is not to Ope- |
rate 10 discharge any commissioned Off |
GER who was in the army OF the United |
States prior TO the war with Spain. The |
lecessty for this body Of volunteer troops |
arises from the relations which the United |
States Government now bears 10 Porto |
Rico. Cuba. the Philippine Islands, the
Hawaiian Islands. and the Ladrone Is
ands Fifty thousand men are very near /
he mark which the general of the army
aid would be necessary I'm these islands.
n his testimony before the Committee on
Military Affairs"
COST UNDER HAYS BILL.
Representative Hay OF Virginia, who
prepared the minority report, estimates
hat the regular establishment provided
or in the minority substitute would en-
all an annual expenditure Of s3oOOO.O 900.
n about 81 coo per man. and that the vol
Inteer force OF 5000. by the same calcu-
alton. would cost s500Cc,Ooo. Ok a total du-
ing the existence OF the volunteer army
4 $4,000, CO. The War Department is pre-
airing official estimates. which will be
eady In n few days.