The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-24
MINORITY REPORT
ON The ARMY BILL
Dissent From the Views Of the
Majority.
100000 MEN UNNECESSARY
Would be a Monaco to the Civil Lib
erty Of Citiz:nS.
SUBSTITUTE FOR THE MEASURE
Provides for 80, 900 Enlisted Men, About
the Same as Before the American
Hispano War Muster Out
the Volunteers.
SUBSTITUTE FOR THE MEASURE

Washington, December 2S.-The minority
of the house committee on military affairs
today filed with the clerk their report in
opposition to the Hull bill for the increase
Of the regular army to 100000. 1t is as fol-
lows:
The minority dissent from the views of
the majority of the committee because the
bin reported makes permanent standing
army for the United States of over 100000
men. Such an army is not necessary to be
maintained in this country now neither be-
cause of our relations TO the islands OF the
sea nor because of any necessity during 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 a menace to the liberty
of citizens and in time of war would not
be sufficient to meet successfully the ar
mics of the first class powers of the world.
Happily, We are SO situated that large
standing army is :Nt necessity and would
only be a luxury TO be supported by the
taxes of the people.
cost OF Hull Iiu
1t is estimated that the Hull bill will cost
the people annually the SUN VI @ioO,oVV,o9V'
This would be a permanent charge upon
the people; S145 600 are being laid annual
ly to the soldiers of the civil war, and the
war with Spain, thus pacing a permanent
charge of 1926 900, 600 upon the people of the
United States, and this to maintain the mil
itary alone.
The passage of this bill means the prac-
teal destruction of the National Guard and
the volunteer troops of the states. With
such a large standing army the citizen SOL
dery of the country would feel that it was
not necessary to prepare for war in time
of peace, nor to go to war in time of war.
Taxes, which are now SO burdensome to the
people, will continue to be collected and will
rather be increased than otherwise. No
hope of economical administration can be
INDUCED in while such permanent and law
ish expenditure is provided for.
1t is well understood that the great cor
porate interests of the country demand
ing this large standing army, their reasons
for such a demand are too obvious to be
printed out These interests want force to
enforce their demands, and president
dominated by such interests would have
with such a standing army the means at
his hand to invade the liberties of the peo-
pie to suppress freedom of speech and to
desecrate the ballot box itself.
Destruction of Liberties
1t is needless, however,. to continue to
point out the many evils of this bill; suf-
flee it to say that both in form and sub
stance it overturns the policy which has
been pursued SO successfully by this gov
eminent for many years and launches
the country upon course which can only
terminate in the destruction of the liber-
ties of the people.
The minority, holding the views above
expressed, have thought they owed it 10
the country to present to the house of rep
resentatives a substitute for the bill re-
ported by the majority.
The minority therefore presents said bill
| as embodying every need of the govern
ment in its present condition and at the
| same time preserving with scrupulous care
| the liberty of the citizen and avoiding the
| evils of a great standing army.
| The substitute provides for a permanent
| standing army of 10000 enlisted men, about
| the number in the army before the war
with Spain.
| The substitute also provides for $4,000
| volunteers, to be taken from the states
and territories and territories and the Dis
| trict of Columbia, in proportion to popu-
| alton. These volunteers are to be mus
| tered out of the service of the United
| States within two years from the date of
| the passage of the act unless sooner term
| mated. Their organization is to be the
! same as that of the regular army Volun-
| teer organizations now in service are to be
| given preference as to re-enlistment All
| volunteers now in the service of the United
| States are to be mustered out within sixty
| days from the passage of this act. The
| necessity for this body of volunteers arises
| from the rela tons the United States gov
| eminent now bears to Porto Rico, Cuba,
| the Philippine islands, the Hawaiian is
| lands and the Ladrone islands