Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-12-09
ONLY ONE ISSUE RAISED DURING
DISCUSSION OF THE MEASURE.
Democrats Insisted That Volunteers
Should BE Mustered Out Without
Delay. and Mr.. Cannon Com
ceded n Point to
Them.

| that such a debate would properly come
later. upon the regular appropriation bills.
or upon the bill for the reorganization of
the army. There was not a word of criti-
cism of the war during the debate.
The only point upon which an issue was
raised to-day was as to whether the bill,
providing. as it did for the pay of the
volunteers until July l, 1899. might not be
construed as modification of the law un-
der which the volunteers were mustered
| into service. Mr. McRae of Arkansas, Of
fered an amendment providing that it
should not be construed, and upon it
| there was a general discussion to the
advisability of mastering the volunteers
out before the regular army was increased.
Mr.. Cannon finally accepted the McRae
amendment, and that removed the only
shadow of opposition to the bill A num-
ber of amendments were adopted upon the
recommendation of the appropriations COM
mittee which received some supplemental
estimates after the bill was prepared. The
largest of these was an item Of s3.OOo,0oO
for an emergency fund for the war de-
partment and s51S.960 for the ordnance de-
partment. increasing the amount carried
by the bill to s69, S95s92.
The house adjourned over until Monday
to give the committees an opportunity to
| work without interruption.
Lord Herschell Sir Louis Davies and Mr..
James Winter, premier of New Foundland.
members of the high commission, occupied
seats in the gallery of the house to-day
being the guests of Mr.. Dingley, the floor
| leader of the majority, who is a member
of the commission. They seemed greatly
| interested in the proceedings and proceed
| ure Mr.. Dingley pointed out to them the
celebrities of the house.
On motion of Chairman Cannon, of the
appropriations committee. the house went
| into committee of the whole Immediately
after the reading of the journal, TO con-
slider the urgent deficiency bill for the
| supper: of the military and naval estab-
lishments during the six months beginning
January l. 1899.
Mr. Underwood, Democrat, Of Alabama,
| interrogated Mr. Cannon with view to
receiving statement as to the disposition
| to be made of the volunteer army.
Mr.. Cannon said the treaty of peace
| might be ratified in January, or it might
not be ratified for months. No one could
| tell what was in front of US. We must
deal with a situation. The volunteer army
might be mustered out and its place taken
| by the regular army. That was a mat
| ter for the future to decide, but he felt
| confident that the, treasury. would be rich
enough and congress wise enough to meet
Mr.. Savers, Democrat. of Texas. the
ranking minority. member Of the sppro,
priations committee. gave his urGuanfled
| Endorsement to the bill, which. he said. did
not affect in any way the legislation re-
garding the volunteers or regular armies. 1t
| simply made appropriations to support
| the present naval and military establish
| ments The bill was passed on the theory
that the i would 1ssa 1bsv In
| mustered out. the appropriations would be
| covered back into the treasury.
Mr.. Livingston. Democrat OF Georgia, eN-
| pressed the opinion that the law under
| which the volunteers were mustered into
| service was subject to double construction
as to the time when they shTud n ssihS, De mus,
were disposed to keep the volunteers in the
service until the regular army had been
reorganiZed, this bill appropriat1ng none!
for their payment would strengthen his
Mr. McRae, Democrat, of Arkansas, gave
offer an amendment declaring that nothing
| in the pending bill should construe. eX-
tend or modify section 4, of the act OF
| said he would not have pressed this amend
| ment had it not been for the president
| declaration in his message that he would
muster out the volunteer army as soon as
| the regular establishment was increased
1t was unjust to the volunteers to hold
them in the service when congress had CIV
| en- 4 solemn pledge that they would be mus
| tered out as soon as the war ended.
| He believed it was the purpose of the
president to hold the volunteers until i
| large standing army was provided.
THE army on peace footing numbers
but &c 900" interposed Mr.. Cannon. Does
the gentleman and his side OF the mouse
| that army to meet the necessities OF the
government in its present emergency and
| those which confront il?
| We will meet that question when II
| arises" replied Mr.. McRae. we are op-
posed to a large standing army. and we
| are opposed to holding the volunteers to
r,..,-ffr ha fl,1fC nf rppn
standing army. Let reorganization of the
| army come in the regular way.
| tended that under the law. the volunteers
We're entitled to their discharge the moment
hostilties host ceased. Ms did snpPor.ad 1aad the NC
! Mr.. Hemenway said he could not un-
| derstand how gentlemen could desire the
standing army was provided. large enough
| to govern our new possessions properly
| Certainly no one would contend that $500
men would be sufficient.
| DO you favor the retention of the vol
unteer army in the service until the reg
ular army is increased?' asked Mr.. Bland
| deemed necessary" replied Mr.. Hemenway
Il believe it necessary the volunteers
should be held in the. service until their
| Mr.. Dockery, Democrat. of Missouri. 4
member of the appropriations committee,
differed from his, colleague. Mr.. Living
l
bill could possibly be construed to modify
| the volunteer act.
| Mr.. Fleming declared that the volunteers
| had enlisted under the promise that they
would be discharged when the war was
| over He could not understand why the
chairman of the appropriations committee
should oppose the McRae amendment.
which simply provided that nothing in the
pending. bill should construe or modify the
aGs Mf. caano2 ARla1 said he saw no good pnr-
| pose that would be subserved by its in
corporation. i would simply give some
| to flap their wings and proclaim with
sound and fury their friendship for the
| volunteers. U.aughter.)
| Mr.. DeArnond. Democrat, of Missouri.
| advocated the adoption of the McRae
| amendment. The president, he said, could
| rot transform the volunteers into uniform
| cided otherwise. The whole question was
| a mere quibble as to whether the universal
| understanding of the 10000 MEN who had
| enlisted that they should be discharged
| when hostilities ceased was now to be
| abandoned and the volunteers held to do
| police duty in different parts Of the world.
| General debate upon the bill was then
closed upon Mr.. Cannon's motion. and the
| bill was read for amendment under the
| iiye-minute rule.
| Mr. Cannon offered committee amend
| ment for an emergency fund Of 100000
| for the war department. He said it was
! impossible to foresee what contingencies
| next six months. An emergency fund of
900 was provided for the navy in the
| bill The amendment was adopted.
| Mr.. King. Democrat of Utah. offered an
| amendment to limit the appropriation for
| the pay of the volunteers to the period
i In hon vf,A hn