The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-04-27
Emergency Measure.
The Bill Providing for Call.
ing Out Volunteers.


Washington, ApriI2o The house
today passed as an emergency war
measure the dill empowering the
President to cali out volunteer foces,
and providing for their organization
Both the President and Secretary
Alger had arged the imperative ne
cessity for she passage of the bill to-
day, and Chairman Hull of the mill
tary committee drove it through un-
der whip aud spur The bill was draft.
ed at the war department, introduced
in the bouse yesterday. and consid
cred aud reported by the committee
to day No such expedition could
have been possible except under the
stress of war pressure. The bill is
permanent in its-character.
There was tremendous demon
stration in the house Immediately
after the reading of the journal, when
Major PruGen, the Presidents exe-
cutive clerk, announced the Presi.
dents approval of the Cuban reso,u
tons
The house then went into commit
tee of the whole to consider the bill
authorizing the Presidents to call for
volunteers
Mr. Hull explained that the com
mittee had unanimously agreed that
past precedenis should be followed
and tue governors of States should
retain the power to appoint all regi-
mental officers
The joint resolution passed By con-
gress authorizing the President to EN-.
ploy the militia force of the United
States. he said, would not meet the
present situation. He felt authorized
to say that if we were to fight this
war it would be with the volunteer
and not the militia forces
Mr.. Hnil read the following tele.
gram he received from Secretary
Alger this morning: 81 hope you
will introduce your bill this morning
Time is now very valuable On the
whole, / am inclined to think that re-
curing commissions to be signed by
the President for tbe militia would
be cause for dissatisfaction and op-
position by the governars, who ma.
turslly might feel that this was TAX
ing some Of their power, from them.
Can you consistently change that and
hasten It's passage p
Mr. johnson Rep of Indiana at
this point attempted to secure time
to address the house regarding his
attitude on the general situation If
war was to come. he was ready to
support any measure to prosecute it
toa successful conclusion. but be-
fore hoatilities began he thought the
house should give him chance to
speak The request met with much
opposition, aud was refused
Mr Handy Dem Of Delaware op
posed the bill because it was propos
ed to pass it as an emergency meas
ure. and yet it was to be permanent
enactment
A question then srose ss to whether
under the prosisione Of the bill add,-
tional legislation would not be neces.
sary to permit the President to call out
volunteers. To meet this defect Mr..
Lacey offered an amendneot au,horis-
ing the President to raise volunteers
when congress- shall have authorized
him to do so. or when he has been au-
thorized '..o call into the actual service
of the United States the militia of the
several States" The Cuban resolu.
tions oonsaio thalastcr authorization
The amendment was adopted
| Mr. MILAN (Dem) of Tennessee
moved 80 reduce the .ern of enlistment
of the volunteer forces from three
years, ss provided 10 toe bill, to one
gear. He thought many Of the young
men OF the couotry would rot bel will.
ing to an enlistment For three years.
Mr.. Hall replied that it was not ez-
peoted that the var would be long
one uoleas Spain resorted to guerilla
warfare, but be did not believe "a three
years term would terrorise the young
meo.
The amendment wan defeated.
Mr Taltert (Dem of South Caro-
lioa warned the house tba. war With
Spain was not slight thing. Gentle
Gen who thought it would be over in q
few days would be sadly disappointed.
in bis opinion. 81 remember at the
opening of the last war" said be.
linen at the uorsh and south believed