Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-07
NEW ARTILLERY REGIMENTS.
Passage OF the Hawley Bill by the
House.

/
Chairman Hull of the military committee
In the House of Representatives today
moved the passage, under suspension Of
the rules. of the Hawley bill creating two
additional regiments of artillery There
was great outbIrst of enthusiasm when
Mr.. Hay (Va) declared that he stood ready
to vote for any measure to prepare for the
emergency which confronted the country
Two democrats, Jones of Virginia and Cox
OF Tennessee, spoke against the bill, which
was passed without division
There was an air of suppressed excite
ment over the House when the members
assembled. The galleries were crowded
As this was the day on which q motion
could be entertained to pass q bill under
Suspension OF the rules, it was decided be-
iore the House met to take advantage Of
TINS tact to pass the Hawley bill.
Accordingly, - soon as the reading Of
the Journal had been concluded, the Speak
er recognized Chairman Hull OF the mill
tary committee, and Mr.. Hull made the
motion to suspend the rules and pass the
utes on side is allowed to debate on such
motion Mr.. Bailey, the democratic
leader attempted to effect an arranyern ant
by which the time for debate could be ex-
tended to forty minutes on n side
Mr.. Babcock, chairman of the District
COMMITTEES. objected to the request, saying
that the time was needed for the considera-
ton of District business.
The debate on the bill was devoid of sem
sauonalism 1t was significant mainly for
the TACT that the opposition to the bill was
connned, as shown by the vote, to three
members. two of whom SPOKE against it on
the floor. Mr.. Cox (Tenn.p, the ranking
democratic member of the military affairs
committee, opposed the measure and as he
controlled the time on his side Of the
House. he yielded half of it to Mr. Jones
Na.) who also antagoniZei II.
The democrats who spoke IN support of it
got the floor by the courtesy of Mr.. Hull,
chairman of the military affairs committee
Mr.. Bailey, the democratic leader was
shut out, and when he asked unanimous
consent to address the House for three
minutes was refused.
Mr.: Hull. in opening the debate, explained
Richly the necessity for these men to man
the coast defeGses of the country. BY July
l, ne said, IA big guns and 232 mortars
would be mounted. 416 in all These guns
required Is men each to handle them and
in time of war 60, there We're but 4Oo,,
artillerymen all told in the service. The
guns emplaced July 1 would require 1000
regardless of any exigency that might
arise
Even If no exigency arose. these men,
he insisted. would be necessary to care for
the Notifications and guns upon which We
were expending millions of dollars
Tie charge that this bill was an attempt
to increase the standing army to be used.
possibly, to overawe the cities, he said, he
considered too frivolous to discuss. MIR.
Cox in opposition TO the bill said he would
vote as cheerfully as any man in the House
for this bill if it Were needed for the ma
tional defense as war measure: but he
argued that the President, as commander
in-chief of the army, had authority to de-
tail men from the other branches of the
service, the cavalry and infantry, and that
such deiails could man and care for the
coast defenses without increasing perma-
nently the standing army.
Mr.. Belknap Ulls), a son of ex-Secretary
of War Belknap, and Mr.. Mcclellan On. W,
son of Gen. Geo. Ii. Mcclellan, boil
warmly advocated the passage of the bill
in brief speeches. ard Mr.. Hay Vt) created
the first open enthusiasm by declaring him.
self in favor of taking every step necessary
now to prepare for the emergency which
comforts the country.