, 1899-03-04
WARREN-GORMAN
WYOMINGiS JUNIOR SENATOR
MAKES POINTED REMARKS
UPON THE ARMY BILL.
senator German of Maryland Driven
Into a Hole and Evades Direct
Questions-Mr. Warren Makes a
Strong Plea for the Interests of the
Pioneers of the Great West.

The Congressional Record of last
Monday contains the report of the de-
bate in the senate between Senators
German and Warren on the bill for re-
organizing the army, and 1t will prove
of great interest to the people of Wyo-
ming.
The Maryland senator opposed the
bill in a set speech, raising many OBJ
j~ections to its provisions, but offering
to support it if its application should
not be extended beyond July 1, 1901.
He contended that the regular army Of
81, 900 men should not be increased.
On this point Senator Warren tried to
get a positive statement from Mr.. Cor
man, that he believed the coast forth
fications could be properly manned and
the interior of the country properly
g%arrisoned with this small number Of
troops. Mr.. German evaded answering
and called upon Mr.. Warren and the
other members of the military COM
mittee for an amendment to the bill
limiting its provisions to July 1, 1901.
On this particular point, Mr.. Warren
said:
Il desire to say that l am not in
charge of the bill, but the question
which l asked, and which remains I'M
answered, was whether the senator did
or did not think 81, 900 was sufficient for
a standing army. That embraces some
of the points he has raised. I do not
understand that we are making the
staff any larger permanently than when
the army was but rs 900. Having the
point before us that it takes over TO-
900 men to man the coast d~efenses, and
| which coast defenses have been provid-
ed for largely through the efforts of the
very able senator from Maryland in his
duties upon the appropriation commit
tee, I, as a member of the military COM
mittee, wish to say it has eve been
questioned in our committee room that
we needed more than 1000 men for
our regular standing army. Though
We may nave differed, six one way and
six the other, as the senator says, yet l
do not understand that there were six
or three-who ever thought that U.s.
900 or 81, goo would be a sufficient army
hereafter"
On the amendment, afterwards offer
ed by Mr.. German, to contine the re-
organization act in force until July /,
1901, upon which date all officers APP
pointed to the army under the act shall
be discharged and the enlisted force
reduced to the number as provided by
law prior to April 1, 1898, Mr.. Warren
made a characteristic speech in favor
OF the western interests involved in the
question of army reorganization. He
said, in part:
Mr.. President, l hope the amendment
will not be adopted. l should much pre-
fer to see an amendment, If one of this
character must be provided, that will
go STILL further and provide that on Jul
ly l., 1901, the entire army shall fall.
That would leave the deck entirely
clear and leave our responsibility en-
tirely plain. l would have no objection
to that, because / believe that congress
hereafter would pass some law to pro-
vide for whatever was necessary,
whether 1t be 1000, 3S, 500, 1000, 81
900, or even as few as 10000 men.
l do not understand that there is now
any difference of opinion as TO the pres
ent necessities of the army or to the
number of men needed in the way of a
temporary army. l have believed, and
been very happy in the belief in the
past few days, thai we had at last
come to some conclusion and agree
ment. and that 1t was admitted upon
all sides that 1t would he necessary to
provide, professionally at least, for
about 100, 900 men; but there is per-
haps no necessity for figuring upon or
debating that point. 1t is conceded.
So, then, the whole question now
COMES upon the size OF the standing
army of the United States after a GER
tain date. Why Is 1t necessary for
senator's, who have been supposed at
least-perhaps erroneously-to be sat
isfed with what has been known as h
compromise bill, to forestall the action
of ngres hereafter? l cannot even
imagine. 1t seems to me that the next
/ senate and the next house OF repre-
sentatiyes ought to have something to
say regarding the army that hal ex-
list after 1901. So long as $4,000 or
nearly 1O0,0 900 are required now, n
80 long as 1t Ia admitted that at least
SO, 1000 will be required until we meet
again, 1 do not understand why we are
asked now, at this time. to legislate 80
far In the future and declare that after
two yearx and tour months from now
we shall have but $1,000 msn.
I am a Of those who believe thst
= stardans army Of 1900 u too small
now a X any Tine hereafter. We pro
|vsAse smay.back IA The ssvsnAsss for n