The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-31
WILL VOTE THIS AFTERNOON.
Fate of the Army Reorganization Bill
so BE known at o'clock.

| rate OF the Army Reorganization Bill
TO BE Known at 3 o'clock.
| Associated Press Dispatch
! WASHINGTON. Jan. 30.-The House put
| in hard days work on the army bill to-
day and tonight, when it adjourned, thirteen
| Of the twenty pages had been completed.
| The committee amendments giving the Pres
| ident discretionary power to reduce the size
| of the infantry companies and cavalry
| troops to sixty men each were adopted,
| and also a series of amendments to reduce
| the officers of the staff 331. A substitute was
| adopted for the section providing for pro-
| motions, which was designed to equalize
| promotions. A fight was made to reduce the
age limit for officers to be appointed to
| the various staff departments from fifty to
thirty, but it failed. An amendment was,
| however, adopted to require a mental and
moral, as Well as a physical, examination
for such appointees. Much of the time to-
| day was occupied in short speeches on the
| general proposition to increase the army and
annex the Philippines, and there were sew
eral lively personal controversies. The
House will meet tomorrow at II o'clock
and whatever time remains before 3 o'clock
| after the bill is completed under the five
minute rule will be devoted to general de-
bate. The heavy-weights on both sides will
| close. The final vote Is to be taken at 3
| o'clock
At the opening of the session to-day. Mr..
| Hopkins Rep., I'D reported the census bill
| ana gave notice that he would call it up
| next Monday.
| The House then resumed consideration of
| the army reorganization bill.
| Ihe frst amendment offered to-day was
| that of which the committee has given no.
| t1ce authorizing the President to enlist only
sixty men in a cavalry troop and sixty in
an infantry company. Mr.. Marsh Rep
| Ill), who offered the amendment said this
| would reduce the enlisted force to $4,000 if
| the President exercised the discretion con-
| ferred upon him.
HAYS PROTEST.
| Mr.. Hay CDem., Va.), of the minority of
the committee, protested to the committee
that it was impossible to perfect a bill on
| the floor of he House. He would offer an
| amendment he said, to have the bill provide
for only sixty men in an infantry company
or a cavalry troop, but give the President
discretion to increase the number to 145 and
| one hundred respectively, this discretion,
however, only to be exercised in time of
war
At this point warm alteration occurred
between Mr.. Johnson (Rep., Ind, and Mr.
| Payne (Rep., N. ", who was in the chair,
the former claiming that the chair refused
| to recognize him.
Mr.. Payne explained that Mr.. Johnson
| had already consumed much time and he
mad felt constrained to recognize other
| members.
Too much Johnson" shouted Mr.. Tawney
| Rep., Minn.) amid laughter.
Mr. MarShS amendment " as adoDted-1O5
| TO 81
While another amendment was under dis
| cusslon Mr.. Johnson (Rep.. Ind arose and
| denounced what he termed the attempt to
| befog the issue and place the opponents of
| the bill in a false position. He was willing
| 10 vote for bill to reorganize the army
Out ne was unwilling to for a n rrOx
| OF 100000, which he firmly believed was to
| be used when Congress adjourned to annex
| foreign territory and foist upon the country
| and posterity a colonial policy. This bill
| was sanctioned by the President he had no
9oubt and the compromise had been
! brought IN to allay the opposition. Its effect
| was to mislead the people. It's purpose was
ana would be to create an army of 100 000
Mr.. Clark (Dem., MOD, in characteristic
| speech, declared that there was an epidemic
| OF hysteria in the House and that a mem
per not seized with the malady could not
| get a hearing. The Democrats had been in
| favor of war to free a people; the Repub-
| llcans We're now anxious for war to en-
slaVe people. The Republicans jeered
] when he drew a picture of the militarism of
| the future.
| Mr.. Berry dem. Ky) announced himself.
amid an outbreak of applause on the Repuh.
| lican side in favor of the retention of every
| foot of territory we had acquired as a re-
| SUIT OF the war with Spain But ! want
70 say flSht mere, continued Mr.. Berry
| that never want to see the Philippines
| represented on this floor"
w nat NOutu you 40 with tlem?' in
| quired Mr. Mcguire Dem, Cal)
Il would keep them under our control and
| protection as we will Cuba until they are
| able to take care of themselves"
Mr.. Berry held aloft long list Of names
| which he said were those of men who had
obtained appointments in the army because
of the influence of grandfathers or fathers
or uncles or aunts. As a Democrat he in
dorsed the action Of the peace commission,
he said, and he believed it was the duty of
the United States to uphold the treaty: IN
hold it against AguinaldO i'm the Philippines
as we upheld it against the Spaniards in
SIMPSON IN A ROW.
Mr.. Simpson and Mr.. Mahon (Rep., Pa.)
became engaged in an alteration which
reached its climax when the latter de-
nounced the former as a demagogue
Mr.. Simpson rose to a question of per-
| sonal privilege in order to reply. He termed
Mr.. Mahon a ''plutogogue" and said that
! 1t was but natural that men like himself
could not get votes in a State where a con-
spicuous candidate for the Unitel States
Senate was under Indictment The corpora
| tions in Pennsylvania elected the congress
men, he said and it was therefore not
strange that there were few Democratic or
| Populistic representatives from that State
! In concluding he raised a la1Ierb Nv 50 H,i,,ev
| he was proud of being called Democrat"
| hasuly correcting himself. he said he meant
9emagogue or Democrat, either" ne
| N-N'N'~N'f oiilNN the NHlCdSO DldITOlm has
purged the Democratic party" democratic
| applause.l
The gentleman has admitted that he has
! peeh called demagogue by both sides OF
| the house, replied Mr.. Mahon He has
| also oeen branded Il demagOgue by the peo-
| PIE OF his own district who have voted To
leaNe nm at home, Republican applause
Mr.. Cummings (Dem., n. " said he hoped
the treaty would be ratified and that then
the President would notify Congress what
he intended to do.
Mr.. Lands (Rep., Ind). speaking to the
general question. contended that we should
liberty. The voice of Aguinaldo, he declared
was no more the voice of liberty than the
voice of Mr. johnson was the voice of the
people Of Indiana.
Mr.. Simpson referred to the numerous
incompetents given commissions during the
late war and incidentally to the fact that
Chairman HullS son had held a lieutenant
colonelcy. Under the bill said he his son
could be appointed TO a similar rank in the
regular army. Il object" he added, Ito
creating positions for a lot of incompetents
who strut about the Army and Navy Club
and the receptions in the West End arrayed
In the latest Mckinley military millinery.
Soon after Jerry Simpson sat down there
was a warm personal controversy between
Mr.. Johnson (Rep.. Ind and Mr. I.andis
lRep ind), growing out of Mr.. Landis's
remarks earlier in the day
After completing the twelfth section of the
bill the committee rose and at 5.55 the
House adjourned until II o'clock tomorrow.