The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-18

Called Obsolete and inefficient by
Gen. G.. q. McCIeIlan's Son.

AalAcO OHSOletc ma W
Gen. G. q. McCIeIlan's Son.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 17-This was Dis
trict of Columbia day in the House, but
only three bills OF local Importance were
passed. The remainder of the session was
devoted to further consideration OF the
army appropriation bill. The debate was
particularly notable for a vigorous speech
by Mr.. Mcclellan, of New York, a son Of
General George b. Mcclellan, attacking the
present army organization as obsolete and
inefficient. He asserted that we were Woe
fully unprepared for war should a crisis
come. and contended for modern methods in
organization, equipment and supplies which
would enable the United States to meet an
emergency Mr. Lewis also made speech
that attracted attention in denunciation of
trusts which, he declared, were threaten
ing the liberties of the country. Considera-
ton of the army appropriation bill was
not completed to-day.
In his speech Mr.. Mcclellan declared that
the army to-day was little better than a
clumsily organized national police force,
top-heavy with the gold lace of staff Off
GERS, many of whom had not seen more ac-
tive service than falls to the lot of a MEM
Der of the police force The army should,
he declared he entirely reorganized. He
said this in no spirit OF jngoism, but for
the purpose of calling the attention of the
country to the fact that we were paying
a large price for a very inefficient army,
utterly unprepared for war, while very
small additional expenditure with proper re-
organization would work wonders. Mr. Nc
ClelIan went into detailed discussion of
the various branches of the service. Our
infantry formations, he said would have
been considered excellent in the seventeenth
century. He criticised particularly the or
ganization of the cavalry. As indicating the
poor quality or condition of the mounts
purchased for the cavalry, he said, we were
each year replacing p per cent. of the cav
airy horses, while in Europe-Austria, for
instance-but IL per cent. of the cavalry
horses were replaced annually. One of the
gravest defects in the present organization,
he said, was the lack of q properly in
structed and competent staff. In the modern
sense of the word, we had no staff. Our
ammunition plant was, he said, hopelessly
deficient. At the present ratio of accumu
lated reserve, he said, at the END of five
years he would only have enough ammuni-
ton to supply the infantry Tor two days
at the firing rate of the battle of Gettys-
burg.
Mr. Lewis Dem, Wash.) then made
vigorous speech against any increase OF
the army. He created something Of an in
novaion by taking his position in the area
in front of the speakers roStrum ana
a. congregation. He charged that the trusts
were in control of the country and consti-
tuted the mailed hand OF power behind the
DEGREES of the courts. If the army were in
creased the people would, he said, be JUS
titled in asking whether it was not to be
used to barricade the courts and break
down everything that means the freedom
of the government. He differed he said,
from the leader-Mr. Bryan-whose cause
he had followed to the pit. He was not
willing to subscribe to the idea that free
silver was the single end to be fought for.
There was necessity. ne said. for a return
to the true Democracy, which had for its
end the freedom of the individual
individual. Mr.. Lewis quoted a telegram
which, he said, Senator Hanna had re-
by A. Seligman, follows: Il cpngratu-
late you on your election. 1t is most salts
factory to me- That message, he said, came
from the man who helped to place mort
gage on this government of $500, 600. Its
insolence, he said had no parallel in his
tory save la the message sent by PontiuS
PLATE to the executioner of Jesus Christ
congratulating him that his work was well
done.
Lewis was aware that Mr.. Seligman was
an American citizen.
7 am. responded Mr.. Lewis. He is an
unpatrotic American citizen" applause
from the Democratic side.)
Mr.. Grosvenor recalled the fact that Mr..
sSeligman, with the credit of his house, rem
dered invaluable aid 20 the Union cause
during the war.
To this Mr.. Lewis replied with the state
menL tndL MT. Sen&man naQ removed MS
residence from this country at time when
he feared the income tax law would compel
Kim to pay his share to the support of the
government. He is the last man." said
he, whom l should take pride in calling
an American citizen
Mr.. Hull (Rep. Iowa.. chairman of the
committee on military affairs expressed
concurrence in the views of Mr.. Mcclellan
TO the extent that he believed that the army
should be reorganized. as the present or
gdnlzatiOn was obsolete.
The discussion of the needs of the army
was continued by Messrs. Wheeler (Dem.,
Ala.) Clark (Dem., MOI, Cox, CDem.,
TENN, Marsh (Rep., ILL. and others
Without completing the bill the committee
arose and at $40 p. m. the House adjourned