The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-21

department. This action conforms to
the practice of the Civil War.
Inc house, almost Immediately after
assembling, by unanimous consent.
went into committee Of the whole to
consider the bill.
MT. Sayers Dem., Tex.) criticised the
section authorizing the president TO an
point the staff officers subject to the
confirmation of the senate or authorize
ing MIN to assign these officers from
the regular army, the volunteer officers
or the militia.
Mr.. Hull explained that the commit
tee unanimously agreed that past pre-
cedents should be followed and the
governors should retain the power to
appoint all regimental officers. The
Joint resolution passed by congress au-
thor1zlng the president to employ the
militia force of the United States. he
said, would not meet the present situa-
ton. He felt authorized to saw that If
we were to fight this war it would be
with volunteer and not militia forces.
Alger Urges Action.
Mr.. Hull read the following telegram
he received from Secretary Alger this
morning:
l hope you will introduce your bill this
morning: Time is now very valuable. On
the whole. am inclined to think that the
Ia
by the president for the militia would be
cause for action and opposition by the gov
ernorS VINO naturally feel that this was TAX
ing some power from them. Can you con-
sistantly change that and hasten its mas.
sage. p"
Mr.. johnson (Rep., INDY at this point
attempted to secure time to address
the house regarding his attitude on
the general situation. If war was to
come, he said, he was ready to sup
port any measure to prosecute it to
a successful conclusion. But, before
hostlllt1es begun he thought the house
should give him chance to speak.
The request met with much Oppose
ton and was refused
Mr. Cox Oem., Tenn.), the senior MI
nority Of the committee, gave the bill
as modified his Endorsement. Mr..
March Rep., Ill) and Mr.. Savers
Dem., Tex.) both expressed the opin-
ION that this measure should be passed
forthwith.
1--WE were on the verge of war. The
measure is asked for by the president
ana the secretary Of war;" said Mr..
Savers, "and there should be no fur
their clubbing"
A question arose as to whether. IN
der the provisions of the bill, addition
al legislation would not be necessary
to permit the president to call out vol
unteers.
| To meet this defect Mr.. Lacey Of
fered an. amendment authorizing the
| president to raise volunteers when
| congress shall have authorized him to
| do SO or when he has been authorized
ITO call into the actual service of the
United States the militia Of the sew
| eral states"
The amendment was adopted.
| Amendment Defeated.
Mr.. McMillin (Dem., Tenn) moved to
| reduce the term Of enlistment of the
volunteer forces from three years. as
| provided in the bill, to one year. He
thought many Of the young men of
the country would not be willing to
| enlist for three years.
| Mr.. Hull replied that 1t was not
expected that the war would be a Ions
| one unless Spain resorted to guerrilla
| warfare but he did not believe a three
years term would terrorize the youne
| men.
The amendment was defeated
Mr.. Handy offered substitute au-
| thOrizing the enlistment of 400, 900 mer
| for the present war. He said 1t was
distinctly a temporary measure and
| met the approval of eminent military
authorities. The substitute was lost.
Mr.. Talbert Oem., S.. c. warned the
house that war with Spain was not g
| light thing. Gentlemen who thought II
would be over in few days would be
sadly disappointed in his opinion
Il remember at the opening Of the
| last war;" said he "men at the NORTH
and South believed it would not last
thirty days. 1 heard a man agree tc
| crink all the blood that was spilled
! Every country in Europe may be drawn