Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-26
ON THE ARMY BILL
Resumption of the Debate in the
House.
INCREASE IN Size OF 4 COMPANY
Mr.. Marsh's Reasons for Opposing
It.
MIR. PLATT TO SPEAK

Without preliminary business the House
of Representatives today resumed consider
alton of the army bill. Mr.. Marsh 0n.>, a
first speaker today. He opposed certain
| features of the bill, although he said he
heartily favored the reorganization and en-
! argement of the army.
In committee he had reserved the right
to oppose these features. He was not pre-
| pared to say that the regular army should
be increased to 1905 10 men. but he was
willing to leave the size of the army to the
discretion of the President and he said he
should offer an amendment giving him that
discretion.
Continuing Mr.. Marsh said he violated no
confidence when ne said that the President
was in sympathy with his proposed amend
ment. The President had told him that ne
would not enlist man or commission an
officer more than he deemed necessary.
Mr.. Marsh also opposed the proposition to
increase the size of an infantry company to
40 men. The officers who had advocated
.arger companies before the military COM
mttee. he said. Were staff officers. The line
officers had not been heard. Three or four
staff officers. men who would never have
command in the line as the army was nov
constituted, had prepared this bill.
While Mr.. Marsh was speaking report
spread about through the House that Jus
ped dead
When Mr.. Hepburn who was in the chair.
interrupted the proceedings to announce
that there was no truth in the report. his
statement was received with applause from
both sides of the chamber.
The real purpose in providing for these
large companies, he declared, was to pro-
tect the organizations and the officers in
case the number of enlisted men were
largely reduced in the future. If the army
were reduced 10000. for instance, they
could be taken from the infantry COM
panies, reducing their size to fifty without
| in the cocnanut. He strongly opposed the
present and the proposed staff organiza ton
At present staff. officers We're appointed
from the line by the President and remain
eel in the staff permanently. He should at
the proper time he said. offer an amend
ment providing that staff officers should be
detailed from the line for four years duty
They should then return to the line and be
Ineligible for staff duty again until they
had served four years in the line. He ex-
pressed the opinion that the weakest point
in the army during the war had been in the
staff. The blunders made could be traced
directly to that weakness
Gen. Miles the head of the army he said
was in favor of detailed staff.
He was in favor of annexation of the
Philippines whether the natives Were will
ing or not. For four years had fought
in this country to force the southern people
to submit TO the Constitution against their
will. 1t was absurd TO say that we could
not employ force to take and hold the Phil
lppines
Hr. DinsmOre Opposed.
Mr.. DInsrore CArk) opposed the bill. A
standing army might lead to disaster he
said.
In the course of his remarks Mr.. Dins-
more raised laugh at the expense of Mr..
l)olliver 0owaI by recalling a statement
made by the latter in q speech during the
| Eifty-first Congress. in which Fre predicted
the free coinage OF silver before tnr close
| of President Harrisons administration.
| Mr. D0lllvcr called attention TO the fact
! that the speech was made in opposition to
| free coinage.
| Mr.. Dinsn.ore warmly opposed the annex
alton of the Philippines.
| MIR. Grosvenor Follows.
| Mr.. Grosvenor (Ohio, followed Mr.. Dins-
| more.
In opening, Mr. Grosvenor said he would
| approach with due sOlemnity the measure
| fraught with such far-reac hing, conse-
quences. He should aim simply to point
| out his own position. distinctly discaimine
| that he spoke for any one else. He did not
wonder that there was a wide distinct an
| tip0dal difference upon the question said Il
| ne involved in this bill. Those who inn
| agined it threatened an assault upon theil
| liberties naturally opposed il vigorously.
| Despite this alleged horror al ne praspec
| Of miittarism hut twice in the history o.
| the country had the regular army beer
| used save in war. He recalled the action OF
| President Cleveland during the Chicago
| riots in sending troops there upon the ad
| vice of Secretary Olney, saying that tina
| act commended itself to him more than an,
| other of the Cleveland administration. Tn,
| idea that the army might he invoked t.
| subvert or liberties was a nan Of straw
| which gentlemen set up. 1t was a Islander
| upon the American people.
Presidents Power Limited
| Mr.. Grosvenor, in the course OF his speech
| said that the President could not usurp the
| authority of Congress: that he had nothing
| TO DO with the future disposition of the is
| lands. That was q matter for Congress t.
| decide. He could only take military pos
session of the islands and then turn TIN
| whole question over to Congress.
| SENATE,