, 1898-12-09

~'a'c d idi5e suduulHS army. Let re
organization of the regular army come
in the regular way"
Mr.. Cox, democrat of Tennessee, con.
tended that under the law the volun-
teers were entitled to their discharge
the moment hostflities ceased. He
supported the McRae amendment. as
did Mr.. Bland.
Mr.. Hemenway said he could not I'M
derstand how gentlemen could desire
the mastering out of the volunteers I'M
til a standing army was provided large
enough to properly govern our new
possessions. Certainly no one could
contend hal 10000 men would be s,f-
ficient.
DO you favor the retention OF the
volunteer army in the service until the
regular army is increased" asked Mr..
Bland.
If an increase OF the regular army
is deemed necessary" replied Mr.. Hem
enway, 81 believe it necessary that the
volunteers should be held in service
until their time of enlistment expires"
Mr.. Dockery, democrat Of Missouri,
a member of the appropriation commit
tee, differed from his colleague, Mr..
Livingston. He did not believe that
the pending bill could possibly be con-
strued to modify the volunteer act.
MIR. Fleming declared that the volun-
teers had enlisted under the promise
that they would be discharged when
the war was over. He could not I'M
derstand why the chairman of the ap-
preparation committee should oppose
the McRae amendment, which simply
provided that nothing in the pending
bill should construe or modify the act
of April 90.
Mr.. Cannon said he saw no good
purpose that would ,oe subserved by its
Incorporation. 1t would simply give
some gentlemen on the other side an
opportunity to flap their wings and
proclaim with sound and fury their
friendship for the volunteers. (Laugh-
teri
Mr.. De Almond, Democrat of Mis-
souri,, advocated the adoption of the
McRae amendment. The president, he
said, could not transform the volun-
teers into uniformed policemen II con-
gress, in it's wisdom, decided other,
wise. The whole question was a mere
derstanding Of the 100, 900 men who
had enlisted. that they should be dis
charged when hostilities ceased, was
now to be abandoned and the volun-
teers held to do police duty in different
parts of the world.
General debate on the bill was then
closed, upon Mr.. Cannon's motion, and
the bill was read for amendment under
the five minute rule.
Mr.. Cannon offered a committee
amendment for an emergency fund Of
5000, 900 for the war department. He
said it was impossible to foresee what
contingencies might and probably
would arise in the Mex six months. An
emergency fund O LOCO, 900 was pro-
vided for the navy debt. The amend
ment was adopted.
Mr.. King, democrat Of Utah, offered
an amendment to limit the appropria-
ton of the pay of the volunteers to
the period prior to March 81, 1899. He
thought it the imperative duty of the
president to muster out the volunteers
as soon as peace was declared.
The amendment was lost without di-
vision.
Mr.. Allen, democrat of Mississippi,
offered an amendment providing that
the money appropriated in the bill for
the pay of volunteers should not be
available longer than three months af-
ter ratification of a treaty Of peace.
1t was defeated, 81 to II.
On motion of Mr.. Cannon several
committee amendments were adopted,
The appropriation of the current e
penses OF the ordinance service was in
creased from $780, 900 to 100000 for the
manufacture OF metallic ammunition,
marksmen's medals, insignia, etc.
from $500, 900 to $500, 900; for n pur-
| chase and manufacture Of ordinance
stores, from $62, 900 to $3.50 900; for in.
fantry, cavalry, and artillery equip.
ment, from $50, 900 to $150,00O 4, and fo1
the manufacture of arms at national
armories, etc, from $275,OO to $685. 0C
These increases, Mr.. Cannon ex-
planned, had been recommended by the
chief of ordinance.
| Mr. Cannon then accepted the McRae