The San Francisco call., 1898-01-18
NEEDS OF
 THE ARMY
 DISCUSSED Big Appropriation A Bill Now Before the
 House. Mcclellan Says the Serv- ice Is Not Up to
 the Standard. Son of the Famous General in Favor of Complete
Son of the Famous General in Favor of Complete
 Reorganization.
LEWIS JOINS THE DEBATE
DenOunces the Doings of Trusts and Talks About Selignaan's Con-
 gratulations to Hanna.
Special Dispatch to The Call.
Call Office. Riggs House,

Washington, Jan. IT.
 This was District of Columbia day in the House, but only three bills of local importance were passed. The remaind- CT Of the session was devoted to further consideration of the army appropria- tion bill. The debate was particularly notable for a vigorous speech by Mo Clellan of New York, a son of General George B. Mcclellan, attacking the present army organization as obsolete and inefficient. He asserted that we were woefully unprepared for war, should crisis come, and he contended for modern methods in organization. equipment and supplies which would enable the United States to meet an emergency.
 Lewis of Washington also made a speech that attracted attention in de- nunciation of trusts, which, he de- clared, were threatening the liberties of the country. The consideration of the army appropriation bill was not completed to-day.
 In the course of the general debate Griffith (R.) of Iowa defended the policy of retiring army officers on three-uurters pay.
 SlRHlnCanI an attack upon the efficiency of the several branches of the army by Mcclellan (D) Of New York, son of General George B. Mcclellan. The army, he declared, was little better than a clumsily organ iZed national force top heavy with the gold lace of staff officers many of whom had not seen more active service than falls to the lot of a member of the police force. The army should, he declared be entirely reorganized. He said this in no spirit of jingoism, but for the purpose or calling attention of the country to the fact that we were paying a large price Tor very inefficient army, utterly un- prepared Tor war, while a very small ad- uitional expenditure with proper reor- ganlzauon, would work wonders.
 Mcclellan then went into a detailed discussion of the various branches of the service Our infantry formations, he said, would have been considered excel lent in the seventeenth century He criti- cized particularly the organization of the cavalry As Indicating the poor quality or condition of the mounts purcha sed for the cavalry, he said, we were each year replacing 25 per cent of the cavalry horses, while in Europe, Austria, for in stance put 2 per cent of the cavalry horses were replaced annually. One of the gravest defects in the present or ganization, he said, was the lack of 2 property instructed and competent staff In the modern sense of the word we had no stan. At the present rate of accurnu- lated reserve, he said, at the end of five years we would only have enough ammu- milton to supply the infantry for two days at the firing rate of the battle of Gettysburg.
 Lewis D.) of Washington made a viz orous speech against any increase in the army. He created something of an inno- vation by taking his position in the area in front of the Speakers rostrum and speaking to the House face to face, as to trusts were in control of the country and constituted the mailed hand of power be- hind the decrees of the courts If the army were increased the people Would he said, be Justified in asking whether it was not to be used to barricade the courts and break down everything that means the freedom of the country. He differed, he said, from the leader (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 he said for a return to the true democracy which had for its end the freedom of the Individual as an individual. Lewis quoted a telegram which he said Senator Hanna had received from Frankfort. Germanv signed by A. SeligTnan, as follows: 'i congratulate you on your election: if fs most satisfactory to me" That message, he said. came from the man who helped to place mortgage on this Government of S200, 900 900. Its insolence, he said had no parallel in history. save in the message sent by Pontius Pilate to the executioner of Jesus Christ. congratulating him that his work was well done.
 Grosvenor interrupted to ask if Lewis was aware that Seligman was an AmerI- can citizen.
 "I am" responded Lewis. "He is an unpatriotic American citizen" Applause on the Democratic side)
 Grosvenor recalled the fact that Mir Selgman. with the credit of his house rendered invaluable aid to the Union cause during the war. To this Lewis re- piled with the statement that Mir Selig- man had removed his residence from this country at a time when he feared the income tax law would compel him to pay his share to the support of the Govern ment- He Is the last man." said he whom I should take pride in calling an American citizen" ~
 Hull CR) of Iowa. chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs, expressed concurrence in the views of Mcclellan to the extent that he believed the army should De reorganized. as the present or ganizatfon was obsolete. The discussion of the needs of the army was continued by Wheeler D) of Alabama. Clark CD9 of Missouri. Cox CD) of Tennessee. Marsh (R-) of Illinois and others ''' S'i
 Without completing the bill the com mittee arose, and at 5:1o p. m. the house adjourned.