The record-union., 1898-12-09
MONEY FOR THE
ARMY AND NAVY.
The Urgent Deficiency Bill Passed
BY the House.
Provides for the Support Of the Military
and Naval Establishments.
Not q Word Of Criticism Of the
War During the Debate, the
Democratic Leaders Deciding
That Such Discussion Would
Properly Come Later When
Regular Appropriations and
Army Reorganization Bills Are
Taken Up.


Army Reorganization Bills Are
Taken UP.
WASHINGTON, Dec. S.--The urgent
deficiency bill to provide for the support
of the military and naval establish
ments was passed by the House to-day
practically without opposition. A fear
had been expressed that the measure
might open up prolonged debate upon
the conduct of the war, but the Demo-
cratic leaders decided that such a de-
bate would properly come later upon
the regular appropriation bills, or upon
the bill for the reorganization or the
army. There was not word or crltl-
cism of the war during the debate. The
only point upon which an issue was
raised to-day was as to whether the
bill, providing as it did, for the pay OF
the volunteers until July /, 1899, might
not be construed as a modification OF
the law under which the volunteers
We're mustered into service.
McRae (Ark) offered an amendment
providing that it should not be so con-
strued, and upon it there was general
discussion as to the advisability Of mus
tering the volunteers out before the reg
ular army was increased. Mr.. Cannon
finally accepted the McRae amendment,
and that removed the only shadow of
opposition to the bill.
A number of amendments were adopt
ed upon the recommendations of the
Appropriations Committee, which re-
ceived some supplemental estimates
after the bill was prepared. The larg-
est of these was an item of So, 0O0, 900
for an emergency fund for the War De-
partment $57S,000 for the Ordnance
Department, increasing the amount
by the bill to 500, ,S59, ,S92.
The conference report upon the bill
to render the sureties of -Consuls, Vice
Ccnsuls and Consular agents liable for
damages in suit at law, was adopted
Sir Wilfred Laurier, Premier Of
Canada; Lord Herschell, Sir Louis Da-
Wis and James Winter, Premier of New
foundland, members of the High Com
mission, occupied seats in the gallery
of the House to-day, being the guests
of Dingley, the floor leader of the ma
jority, who is a member of the commits
sion. They seemed greatly interested
in the proceedings and procedure.
Dingley pointed out to them the cele-
brities of the House
On motion of Chairman Cannon of the
Appropriations Committee, the House
went into committee of the whole i'm
mediately after the reading of the jour
nal to read the urgent deficiency bill
for the support of the military and ma
val establishments during the six
months beginning January 1, 1899.
n ~ a Ia ho ma int tnr a.
gated Cannon, with view to receiving
a statement of the disposition to be
made of the volunteer army
Cannon said the treaty of peace
might be ratified in January: it might
not be ratified for months No one could
tell what was in front of u.s. We must
deal with a situation. The volunteer
army might be mustered out and its
place taken by the regular army. That
was matter for the future to decide,
but he felt confidentsthat the Treasury
would be rich enough, and Congress
wise enough, to meet any emergency.
Sayers CD of Texas, the ranking
minority member of the Appropriations
Committee, gave his unqualified in
dorsement of the bill, which, he said,
did not affect in any way the legisla-
armies. 1t simply made appropriations
to support the present naval and mill
tary. establishment. The bill was based
on the theory that the volunteers would
continue in the service until July l.,
1899 If they We're mustered out, the
appropriation would be covered back
into the Treasury.
Livingston CD of Georgia expressed
hof no lox io1,
the volunteers were mustered into serv-
ice was subject to double construction
as to the time when they should be
mustered out, and he believed, if the
President was disposed to keep the
volunteers in the service until the reg
ular army had been reorganized, this
bill appropriating money for their pay
ment would strengthen his hand
McRae CD of Arkansas gave notice
that at the proper time he would offer
an amendment declaring that nothing
in the pending bill should construe, ex-
tend or modify section OF the Act Oh
April 22d, creating the volunteer army
He said he would not have pressed the
amendment had it not been for the
Presidents declaration in his message
that he would muster out the volunteer
army as soon as the regular cSldOhSh
ment was increased. 1t was unjust to
the volunteers to hold them in the
service, when Congress had given a. SOL
emn pledge that they should be mus
tered out as soon as the war ended. he
believed it was the purpose of the Pres
ident to hold the volunteers until
large standing army was provided.
The army on a peace footing num-
bers but 26000,'' interposed Cannon
Does the gentleman and his side of
the House stand ready TO support a bill
to increase that army to meet the ne
cessities of the Government in its pres
ent emergency and those which con-
front it -
I'VE will meet that question when it
arises replied McRae. I'VE are op-
posed to a large standing army, and
we are opposed to holding the volun-
teers to perform the duty of regularss
and be used as club to force us to
create a large standing army"
Cox Cd OF Tennessee contended that,
under the law, the volunteers We're en-
titled to their discharge the moment