Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-01-19
Minority Report From the
House Military Committee.
QUOTED BY COLONEL BRYAN
Said TO Have Been Used In an Address
Before IL Had Been Presented to
Congress Representative james
Hwy Forging to the Front-want
Virginia Lnnd-Ncws Notes of In
tcrcsf.
Especial to Virginian-Pilot.)

Richmond, Va, Jan. 1S.-FriendS of
Congressman James Hay in this city
and Washington are discussing the re-
cent use which it is claimed Col. Will
liam Jennings Bryan has made of the
formers report from the Military Com
mittee of the House.
Mr.. Hay prepared the minority re-
port of the committee at the request of
his Democratic colleagues. 1t is n very
able exposition Of the reasons for OPP
posing the proposed increase in size OF
the military establishment. Recently
MIR. Bryan was in Washington and sent
for Mr.. Hay to come to see him. 1t
was not convenient for Mr.. Hay to CALL
but he sent Mr.. Bryan copy of the
minority report which he had prepared,
and would submit. Mr.. Hay was much
surprised. 1t is said, when he saw this
quoted from one of Mr.. Bryans
speeches. This, however, was Il small
matter compared to the making public
of the nature of the report before 1t
had been presented to Congress, it is
claimed. The matter has excited much
comment among congressman and
others.
Mr.. Hay Will not discuss 1t with his
friends. but he is said 10 feel it keenly
His friends are making the clamor
IS MAKING 4 REPUTATION.
MIR. Hay is very rapidly becoming one
OF the foremost Democrats in the
House. He is recognized as the lead
ing minority member of the Military
Committee. and his friends predict that
before discussion of the Hull bill is
concluded he will have attained added
distinction. He is dcvoting Il great deal
OF careful study to military matters
and is rapidly becoming an authority
He will conduct the fight against such
Il great increase in the size of the regu-
lar army. 1t viii be II brilliant nght
though hardly a successful one. How
ever. 1T is expected by those who favor
the passage OF the Hull bill that the
minority Will succeed in having 1t con-
siderably modified in the way of re-
ductton In the proposed size of the
regular establishments This result will
be largely due TO efforts of Mr.. Hay.
WANT VIRGINIA LANDS.
Virginia lands is nj present one of the
most familiar topics ut the Capitol, the
Register of the Land Office and the
Commissioner OF Agriculture being
ovcrrun with inquiries regarding them.
They are each receiving nearly every
day letters from farmers Of New York
and Illinois. chiefly inquiries regarding
the character and price of Virginia
- rm lands. They also receive many let
ters from capitalists seeking Invest
ments asking for information concern
ing Virginia minerals and timber.
Commissioner Eocner has been asked
seNeTa! times recently for geological re-
ports concerning the minerals of Nir-
Enia. He has never been able to sun
ply these. None have ever been made.
He - VS. he is ashamed to have to tell
his correspondents this, as. so FAR as is
knnwn there IS not another state in the
I mon which has not had made n Scien-
liiic rcIort of its mineral wealth. Mr..
Eocner is not receiving satisfactory re-
plies u his published request for real
estate dealers Of the state to send him
iNoir addresses. They send him pamph-
lets. lie wants pos tohice addresses only.
no WIN >\-tNc