The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1898-12-22
PLEA FOR THE PRIVATE.
Senator CockreII Oenounoes
Holding of Volunteers.
BELIEVES THE PLAN IS WRONG.

Washington, D. c., Dec. 15.-Sen
stor Cockrell publicly denounced
to-day the policy Of the administra
tien in holding 100000 volunteer
soldiers under arms after the peace
treaty had been signed He tool
occasion to announce his bslief thai
the administration plan Of holding
large armies Of occupation in Cuba
Porto Rico and the Philippines, was
totally wrong and utterly at variance
With the objects sought to be OBJ
tanned when the United States de.
clared war against Spain.
Senator Cockre.ls appeal for the
private soldiers was given close at
tention by the senate and when he
announced "a his conviction that the
iarcical proceedings through which
8pain sought to cede to the United
States something it did not own
namely the Philippines, where it
held one city and that is now best egg
ed by the insurgents-were really q
wild hog trade" The anti-expan-
sion sentiment was demonstrated in
the quick hum of approval which
vas heard all through the cha mber
Benator Cockrell SAID that Spain
occupied but the one city mention
ed and that her other sole pos
session in the Philippines consisted
Of the Spanish soldiers now held in
captivity by the Filipinos He ask ed
how Spain could cede tie this eoun-
try something she did not own.
The senator declared emphatically
that the United States had no right
to wage war against the insurg ents
in the Philippines; there was no war
in Cuba and all the objects of the
war were SO nearly accomplished
that it was in the interest of good
government to let many of the vol
unteer soldiers out of the service.
CONSTANTLY RECEIVING LETTERS.
Senator Ceckrell said that he and
other members of the senat tie were
constantly receiving letters from dis
gusted soldiers in the volunteer
service, asking to be released.
Many of them had lef: positions
paying SIS and 500 per month and
now that the war was over they de
sired to return to their homes and
business. The employers of these
men in many instances have kept
their positions open for them and
now the men were anxious to get
out of the service. They had wives
and children dependent upon them
and these in come instances were
suffering.
The war department officials, said
the senator, who had certain di sore
zion in the discharge of soldiers,
were now refusing to grant any dis
charges until the bill for enlar ging
the regular army had been passed |
Upon investigation he had found, he |
said, that subordinate volunteer of |
icials evidently acting on orders
from superiors, were refusing to
forward applications Of soldiers to
The proper authorities asking for
This was an arrog alton
Of authority which did not belong
90 them.
Senator Cockrell said that in his
judgment it was lowering the dig
nifty of the soldier compelling him
TO do police duty. Only a few sol.
iiers will be required in Cuba and
Porto Rico. As for the Philippines
no war has been declared again st the
Filipino; they were living under their
own government and had their lead
ars and eur army there could not
wage war against them except after
a declaration of war by act of con-
gress.