The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-04-21
SENATE HAS IT.
House Passes War Measure as
an Emergency Bill.
Governors Will Appoint officers
of Volunteers.
OMNIBUS WARNINGS
From TaIbert of South Caro-
lima, Who Believes
That Europe May Be Drawn
Into the Encounter.

Washington, April 21-The house has
passed as an emergency war measure,
the bill empowering the president to call
out the volunteer forces and providing
for their organization. Both the presi-
dent and Secretary Alger had urged the
imperative necessity of the passing of
the bill today, and Chairman Hull of
the military committee drove it under
whip and spur.
The bill was drafted at the war de-
partment, introduced in the house yes
terday and considered and reported by
the committee today. No such expedi-
ton could have been possible except
under the stress of war pressure.
The bill is permanent in it's character.
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 state, instead of
by the president, as was proposed orig
inally by the war department. This act
ion conforms to the practice of the civil
war.
The senate joint resolution authoriz-
ing the printing of extra copies of the
military publications of the war depart
ment was adopted.
Chairman Hull said that the commit
tee on military affairs had made only
one important change in the bill as pre-
pared 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 upon Ine PRESIDENT anu
was in harmony with the law of 1861.
The house went into committee of the
whole to consider the bill.
A question arose as to whether under
the provisions of the bill additional leg
islation would not be necessary to per-
nit the president to call out volun-
teers.
To meet this defect, Mr.. Lacey offered
an amendment authorizing the presi-
dent to raise volunteers when congress
shall have authorized him to do or
when he has been authorized TO call
into actual service of the United States
the militia of the several states The
amendment was adopted.
Mr.. McMillin (Dem., TENN, moved
to reduce the term of enlistment of the
volunteer forces for three years, as pro
vided 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 it was not ex-
pected that the war should be long
one, unless Spain reSOrted to guerrilla
warfare, but he did not believe a three
wears term would terrOriZe the young
men.
The amendment was defeated.
Mr. Handy offered substitute au-
thorizing the enlistment of 100000 men
for the present war. He said 1t was DIS
tinctly temporary measure, under the
approval of eminent military authorl-
ties.
The substitute was lost.
Mr. Talbert Oem., S. c. warned the
house that war with Spain was not
light thing. Gentlemen who thought it
would be over in a few days would be
sadly disappointed, in his mind
''I remember at the opening OF the
last war" said he, men at the north
and south believed that it would not
last 80 days. I heard man agree to
drink all the blood that was spilled. EV-
cry country in Europe may be drawn
into the encounter before we get
through with Spain
After further debate the bill passed
the house without division.