Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-12-29

Washington, Dec. 24.-The minority
of the house committee on military at
fairs yesterday filed with the clerk its
report in opposition 10 the Hull bill
for an increase of the regular army to
100000 men. 1t follows in Dart: The
| minority dissents because the bill re-
ported makes permanent standing
army for the United States OF 100000
men. Such an army is not necessary
IN this country now because of our re-
lations TO the islands of the sea, nor
any necessity for it arisen in the
pas year in this country itself.
The evils of standing armies are too
well known to be dilated upon here,
Happily we are so situated that large
standing army is not necessary; it
would only be luxury to be supported
by the taxes of the people. 1t is esti-
mated that the Hull bill will cost the
people annually $150,000,00O. This
would be permanent charge upon the
people. The passage of the bill means
the practical destruction of the nation
al guard and the volunteer troops of
the states. With such large
standing army the citizen SOL
diers of the country would feel
it was not necessary to prepare for
war in time of peace, nor to go to war
in time of war 1t is we'll understood
that the great corporate interests OF
the country are demanding a large
standing army. They want a force to
enforce their demands and a president
dominated by such interests would
have, with such a standing army.
means at hand to invade the liberties
of the people, suppress freedom OF
speech and desecrate the ballot box it.
self. Both in form and substance the
bill overturns the policy pursued so
successfully by this government so
many years and launches the country
upon course which can only terminate
in the destruction of the liberties of
the people,
The minority reports a substitute for q
the bill. The substitute provides for a
permanent standing army of 10000 en-
listed men, about the number in the
army before the war with Spain The
organization provided for in the sub
Stitute conforms to what it has been
with some few important changes. A
larger number of men is provided for
the artillery than usual by reason OF
the necessity of manning our coast de-
lenses, upon which large sums have
been spent; the substitute
also provides for fifty thousand
volunteers from states and
territories and the District of Column
bia, in proportion to the population
The volunteer organization is to be the
same as the regular army Volunteer
organizations in the service are to be
given preference as to re-enlistment.
All volunteers now in the service of
the United States are to be mustered
out within sixty days from the passage
OF the act. The necessity for this body
of volunteer troops arises from the re-
lations the United States government
now bears to Porto Rico, Cuba, Philip
pines, Hawaiian islands and Ladrcne
islands. Mr. Hay (dem., VaO, who
prepared the minority report, estimates
that the regular army establishment
provided for in the minority substitute
would entail an annual expenditure OF
$50, 100000, or about 81 900 per man,
and a volunteer force of $4,000 by the
same calculation would cost $50 ,000, 900
or total during the existence Of the
volunteer army of $4,000 600.