The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-27

investigating COMMISSION IOudy was
reduced to two members-chief of en-
gineers, G~eneralJohn NJ. Wilson and
Colonel DENLY. General Wilson has
practicallt transferred his war depart
ment office to the commissions quar-
ters and Colonel DENLY today officiated
as interrogation, with General A. 0.
Howard, retired, in the witness chair.
General Howard told how disappoint-
ed he had been in not securing assign
ment for active service during the wal
and how he had done the best thing
for his country by accepting the office
of visiting delegate for the army and
navy Christian commission and dis
tributing tracts and other things
through the southern camps. He said
these camps, as a rule, were in good
condition, but he noticed confusion in
the railway arrangements at Tampa,
an inundation of beef in one colOred
camp there and a plague of fees on his
second visit to Mobile. He went at
some length into the question Of odors
at Camp Thomas during July, where
he said they were varied and repulsive.
He had suggested chloride of lime to
General Brooke, who received the sug-
gestion faVorably and distributed thir-
ty-nine barrels Of lime in one day. The
smells continued. He praised the work
of the army and navy Christian COM
mission.
Regarding General Lees command
at Jacksonville, General Howard sale
he had not believed before it was pos
sible for a camp to be kept in such fine
- conditions
General Howard said he was strong
ly opposed to burocracy and thought a
commanding general should be in alb
solute control of his camp or corps.
General Wilson became Interested in
this and asked if General Howard
thought the management of Camp
Thomas nae been ampere by burOc-
racSy. 1t took about fifteen minutes
to get q direct answer, the witness Of
fering numerous illustrations and eX-
amples of what he thought constituted
burocracy. But on the bird REPETITION
of the question General Howard said
he thought there might have been
something of the sort in connection
with Camp Thomas.
The commission adjourned till Tues
day next.
NO FRANCHISES GRANTED.
The war department today author
lied the following: The following order
has been sent by the secretary of war
to the commanding officers in CUBA,
Porto Rico and the Philippines.
Until otherwise ordered, no grant or
concession of public or corporate rights
or franchises for the construction OF
public or quasi public works, such as
railroads, tramways, telegraph and tel
ephone lines, WaterwOrks, gaSWOrks,
electric light lines, etc, shall be made
by any municipal or any other local
governmental authority or body in Gu
ba, Porto Rico or the Philippines, eX-
cept upon the approval of the major
general commanding the military forces
of the United States, who shall, before
approving any such grant or conceS-
sion, be so specially authorized by the
SeCretay of war
THE MINORITY ARMY BILL.
The minority of the house commit
lee on military affairs today filed with
the clerk their report in opposition to
the Hull bill for the increase of the
regular army to 100, 900. 1t is as fol-
lows:
"The minority of the committee dis
sent from the views of the majority
of the committee because the bill re-
ported makes a permanent standing ar
my for the United States of over 100,
men. Such an army rs not necessary tC
be maintained in this country now
neither because of our relations to the
islands of the sea nor because of any
necessity that has arisen in the las
year. The evils of standing armies arr
too we'll known to be dilated upon here
Such a standing army as the n pro-
posed woul in time of peace be a me-
nace to the liberty of citizens, and in
tim of war would not be sufficient tC
meet successfully the armies of the
first class powers of the world. Hap
ply, We are so situated that a large
standing army is not a necessity ano
would be a luxury to be supported by
the taxes of the people. 1t is eStimat.
ed that the Hull bill will cost the PEG.
pie annually the sum of $3.50, 900, 600
This would be a permanent charge up
on the people; $145, 600, 900 are now be
ing paid annually to the soldiers of thu
civil war and the war with Spain, thu!
placing a ermanent charge of $295, 900,
900 on the people of the United States
this to maintain the military establish
ment alone, to say nothing of the navy
The passage of this bill means tn
practical destruction of the nationa
guard and the volunteer troops of tn
states. With such a large standing ar
my the citizens soldiery of the coun
try would feel that it was not neces
sary TO prepare for war in time o
.1eace, nor go to war in time of war.
THE taxes which are now so bur
densome to the people will continue t
be collected and will rather be increas
ed than otherwise. NO nope or econ0m
ical administration can be INDUCED i
while such permanent and lavish ex
penditure is provided for.
1T is we'll understood that the grea
corporate interests of the country ar
demanding this large standing army
their reasons for such a demand ar
too obvious to be pointed out. TheS
interests want force to enforce the
demands, and a president dominate
by such interests would have, with sue
e standing army, the means at his han
to invade the liberties of the people t
suppress freedom of speech and I
desecrate the ballot box itself.
eft is needless, however. to continu
to point out the many evils Of this bill
Suffice 1t to say that both in form an
substance 1t overturns the olicy whic
has been pursued so successfully b
this government for so many years ar
launches the country upon a cours