The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-01-20
&c WASHINGTON LETTER, ~
Washington, D. C. J
January II, 1899, {

'ootliuS lOu, -. ".
January II, 1899.
The principal items of interest to
be noted this week are:
l. The Hull army bill calling for
100, 900 men.
2. Ratification Of the peace treaty
assured.
5 Nicaragua canal Legislation in
great danger, froma powerful op-
position lobby.
4. Queer doings about civil re
form.
4. Serious republican, split on an
neXation.
Rarely have there been so MANY
topics of vital Importance to the
people before congress. It is indeed
a history making period. The re.
publicans are making a ~herculean ef-
forts to tie the people hand and foot
and mortgage our liberties for the
future.
There is every prospect that the
administration will be obliged to
accept a compromise on the army
reorganization bill. This is the
best news yet of this congress.
The illness of Congressman Hui
has given the opposition a chance to
pull it's forces together in a solid
phalanx and even to get some re-
publicans to side with them. This
is especially true in the senate.
The Hull bill provides for raising
the standing army to 100, 900 men.
1t is really the administration meas
ure and the most important repub-
lican bill before congress-. 1t is
next in Importance to the peace
treaty. What is the use of our
foreign possessions unless thew are
made the excuse for the big stand
ing army that the %imperialist re-
publicans have always wanted?
There are only As more working
days for congress and the republi-
cans are in a blue funk fer fear the
bill won't get through the senate.
BY applying the gag law, Speaker
Reed can probably jam it through
the house in its original 100, 900
shape. 1t will be a different matter
in the senate.
Silver senators are very wisely
taking the ground that we can have
ample military pre- lection, even for
the Philippines, by keeping up the
War basis of 62, 600 men, as provided
by legislation Of the last session.
1t is a pretty big jump from Is. 900
to $4,000 for a standing army
There a"e those who think the old
figure of $4,000 amply sufficient.
Even the democrats who favor the
compromise of $4,000 men, instead
of 100, 900 as proposed by the HUI
bill. r in favor of certain limita-
lions and restrictions so that we
may get back to the 25, 900 basis,
as soon as our new possessions
acquire the knack of a peaceful self
government.
They don't propose to have this
country saddled with a permanent
soldiery of $4,000 men from now
until judgment day. The republi-
cans hoped to push through the
army reorganization bill so quickly
that there could not be much dis
cusslon. Thay canLot do it. The
whole scheme will be ventilated.
1t will be shown that thu chief feat
ure use of a big standing army will
be to crush the people into submits
sion every time there is a strike
against starvation wages or a closely
contested election. And the people
will pay dearly for this luxury of a
military home government.
By the time an extra session can
be convened, public sentiment will
rot be so warm ABOUT our new pos,
sessions. Even with the peace
treaty dangling in the air, the re
publicans can't get their big army
They r afraid that even an over
whelningly republican congress
cannot force it on the people. Well
it is their funeral. The silver mer
are doing their duty and pointing
out the danger.
/. We will ratify the peace treaty