The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-24
MENACE TO LIBERTY
Such Would Be the Proposed
Standing Army,
THE MINORITYS REPORT
A Substitute to the Hull Bill Submitted.
Providing for . Permanent Land
Forcs or 10000
Men.

| W AOHs DGts -Ds-l lie minority
Of the committee on military affairs
filed with the clerk Of the house their
report on the Hull bill TO increase the
army to 100000 men. II is as follows:
The minority OF the committee dis
sents from the majority OF the commit
tee because the bill reported makes a
permanent standing army for the
United States OF over 100000. Such an
army Is not necessary to be maintained
In this country now. neither because Of
our relations to the islands Of the sea.
nor because OF any necessity which in
the past years has arisen In this coun-
try itself. The evils of standing armies
are too well known to be dIlated upon
here. Such a standing army as the one
proposed would in time of peace be a
menace 20 the liberty OF citizens and in
time OF war would not be sufficient 10
meet successfully the armies Of the
hrst-class powers of the world. Happl-
~, we are so situated that a standing
army Is not necessity and would only
be luxury To be supported by the
taxes OF the people. II is estimated that
the Hull bill Will cost the people an
nually the sum Of sl5o.0 goo This
would be a permanent charge upon the
people. One hundred and forty-five
million dollars Is being paid annually to
the soldiers OF the civil war and the
war with Spain, thus laying a perma-
nent charge Of s2s5. .000.0 900 upon the peo-
pie OF the United States and this TO
maintain the military establishment
a.one. To say nothing Of the navy.
The passage OF this bill means the
practical destruction of the national
guard and the volunteer troops Of the
states. with gnRh n sta
army the citizen soldiery OF the coun-
try would feel that IL was not necessary
To prepare for war in time Of peace. nor
To go to war In time OF war. The taxes
which are now SO burdensome To the
people viii continue To be collected and
will rather be increased than otherwise.
NO hope OF economical administration
can be INDUCED in while such perma-
nent and lavish expenditure IL provided
for.
1T Is well understood that the great
corporate interests OF the country are.
demanding this large standing army.
Their reasons for such a demand are too
obvious to be pointed out. These inter-
ests want force to enforce their de-
mands. and a president dominated by
such interests would have. with such a
standing army. the means at his hands
To invade the liberties Of the people. to
suppress freedom of speech and to des-
ecrate the ballot box itself. II Is need
less. however, to continue to point out
the many evils Of this bill: suffice To say
that both In form and substance IL
overturns the policy which has been
pursued so successfully by this govern
inent for so many years and launches |
the country upon a course which can |
only terminate i'm the destruction OF the |
liberties of the people
The minority holding the views \
above expressed have thought they /
owed lt 10 the country to present to the |
house OF representatives substitute |
for the bill reported by the majority. |
They herewith report said substitute as |
every need of the govern 4
ment and It's present condition and at /
the same time preserving with scrupul- |
ous care the liberty OF the citizen and |
avoiding the evils Of a great standing
army"
The substitute provides for a perma-
nent standing army OF 10000 enlisted
men. about the number in the army be-
Iore the war with Spain. The reorgan-
zation provided I'm the substitute con-
Iorms To what II has been. with some
'ew important changes. A larger num-
Der OF men Is provided for artillery than
usual by reason OF the necessity of
the coast defenses upon which
arge sums OF money have been spent |
Ihe substitute also provides for 75. 900 |
'olunteers to be taken from the states
|
umbia. proportionate to population:
hese volunteers are TO be mustered out
" the service OF the United States
within two years from the date OF the
'assage of the act. Their Organization
5 To be the same as that OF the regu-
ar army. Volunteer organizations now
n service are To be given preference a.
. re-enllstment. All volunteers now in
he service Of the United States are 10
~ mustered out within 50 days from the
assage OF this act.
rhe substitute IL not to operate to
ischarge any commissioned officer who
as in the army OF the United States
rior TO the war with Spain. The neces-
ity for this body OF volunteer troops |
rises from relations which the United |
tates government now bears to Porto |
iico. Cuba. the Philippine Islands. the
hawaiian Islands and the Ladrone ISL
nds. FIFTY thousand men are very
ear the mark which the general of the I
Tmy said would be- necessary in these }
ilands in his testimony before the COM Z
littee on military affairs
Representative Hay OF Virginia. who )
repaired the minority report. estimates y
hat the regular army establishment
rovided for In the minority substitute
.Ould entail an annual expense of $780,
D0.COO. or about $1,000 per man and that
le volunteer force OF 10000 men, by the
lme calculation. would cost $50 900 900 q
T total during the existence of the
olunteer army OF $50 600 eco The war Z
apartment is preparing official esti- z
iates which will be ready in a few o
ays.