The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-21
other Minor Changes Made in the Bill
as 1t Was Framed by Alger and
Endorsed by Mckinley.
SENATORS TALKED ALL DAY
SIGNIFICANT SPEECH BY MIR. FOR
AKER ON CUBAN RECOGNITION.
independence of the Republic AL
ready Acknowledged, According to
His View-AIIen's Resolution.

His View-AIIen's Resolution.
WASHINGTON, April 2O.-The House to-
day passed as an emergency war measure
the bill empowering the President to call
out the volunteer forces and providing for
their organization. Both the President and
Secretary Alger had urged the imperative
necessity of the passage of the bill to-day,
and Chairman Hull, OF the military commit
tee drove it through under whip and spur.
The bill was drafted at the War Depart
ment, introduced in the House yesterday,
and considered and reported by the commit
tee to-day. No such expedition could have
been possible except under the stress OF war
pressure. The bill is permanent in its char
acter. The principal change made in the
bill as introduced was that the appointment
of all regimental officers are to be made by
the Governors of the States, instead of by
the President, as was proposed originally
by the War Department. This action con-
forms to the practice of the civil war.
There was tremendous demonstration in
the House Immediately after the reading of
the Journal when Major Pruden, the Pres
ident's executive clerk, announced the Pres
idents approval of the Cuban resolutions.
The galleries cheered and the members on
the floor applauded vigorously. The speak
er with difficulty suppressed the ovation
with which the announcement was greeted.
The Senate joint, resolution authorizing
the printing of extra copies of the military
publication Of the War Department was
adopted.
Mr.. Hull, chairman of the committee on
military affairs, then asked unanimous con-
sent for immediate consideration Of the bill
he introduced yesterday at the request OF
the War Department, authorizing the Pres.
ident to call for volunteers. He explained
that the committee had agreed to the meas
ure at special meeting this morning. 1t
was a very urgent measure, he said The
secretary of war had appealed to him this
morning to press it. and he had just had a
message from the White House saying that
the passage of the bill to-day was impera-
tive Mr.. Hull said that the committee had
made only one important change in the bill
as prepared by the War Department. That
change reserved to the Governors of the
States the power to appoint company and
regimental officers, which the bill as drawn
conferred on the President, and was in har
mony with the law of 1861. The House went
into committee of the whole to consider the
bill.
CRITICISED BY SAVERS.
Mr.. Sayers (Dem., Tex.) criticised the Sec
ticn authorizing the President to appoint
the staff officers, subject to confirmation OF
the Senate, or authorizing him to assign
these officers from the regular army the
volunteer officers or the militia.
Mr.. Hull explained that the committee
had unanimously agreed that past pre-
cedents should be followed and the govern
ors of States should retain the power to
appoint all regimental officers. The joint
resolution passed by Congress authorizing
the President to employ the militia force of
the United States, he said, would not meet
with the present situation. He felt author
lied to say that if we were to fight this
war it would be with the volunteer and not
Mr.. Hull read the following telegram he
received from Secretary Alger this morn
ing: Il hope you will introduce your bill
this morning. Time is now very valuable
On the whole, l am inclined to think that
requiring commissions to be signed by the
President for the militia would cause oppo-
sition by governors, who naturally might
feel that this was taking some of their
power from them. Can you consistently
change that and hasten its passage?"
MIR. Johnson (Rep., Ind) at this point at
tempted to secure time to address the House
regarding his attitude on the general situa-
ton. If war was to come, he said, he was
ready to support any measure to prosecute
it to a successful conclusion. But before
hostilities begin he thought the House
should give him chance to speak The re-
quest met with much opposition and was
refused.
Mr.. Cox Dem, TENN, the senior minor
ity member Of the committee, gave the bill,
as modified, his Endorsement.
Mr. Marsh (Rep., I'D and Mr.. Savers
Dem. TEX both expressed the opinion
that this measure should be passed forth
with. We were on the verge of war. The
measure was asked for by the President
he said +. Savers.
and there should be no further clubbing.
MAY CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS.
A question arose as to whether under the
provisions Of the bill additional legislation
would not be necessary to permit the Presi-
dent to call out volunteers To meet this
defect Mr. Lacey offered amendment
authorizing the President to raise volun-
teers when Congress shall have authorized
him to do so or when he has been author
lied ito call into the actual service of the
United States the militia of the several
States" The amendment was adopted.
Mr.. McMillin (Dem., Tenn moved to re-
duce the term of enlistment of the volun-
teer forces for three years, as provided in
the bill to one year. He thought many of
the young men of the country would not be
willing to enlist for three years.
Mr.. Hull replied that II was Ia., NOT expeGdeo
Spain resorted TO guerrilla warfare, but he
did not believe a three years term would
terrorize the young men. The amendment
was defeated.
Mr. Handy offered substitute authoriz-
ing the enlistment of 400 900 men for the
present war He said it was distinctly
temporary measure and met the approval
of eminent military authorities. The substi-
TUE was lost.
House that war with Spain was. not light
thing Gentlemen who thought 1t would be
over in n few days would be sadly disap-
pointed, in his opinion. Il remember at the
opening of the last war, said he 'men
at the North and South believed il would
not last thirty days. heard man agree
to drink all the blood that was spilled. Ey
cry country in Europe may be drawn into
the encounter before we get through with
SPAIN"
Mr. Little Dem Ark) offered an amend
ment. which was agreed to, providing that
the Indian Territory shall furnish its quota.
amendment providing that nothing in the
bill should be construed to prevent compa-
MES and regiments from selecting their own
officers. The power to select officers TO I'LL
vacancies. he said. would be an incentive
to enlistment. The tyrannous discipline OK