The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-01-28

President rs TO the necessity for the
other o., 600 This bill only provided for
800 additional officers. II we had had this
proposed organization before the recen
war we could have saved millions OF dol
lars and hundreds of lives.
MIR. johnson, Republican Of Indiana,
spoke and repeated something Of the sen
sation he created on "Wednesday, WI en-
this bill was brought into the House. said
he, the proposition 60 qusdrurle the size
OF the standing army was so monstrous
that there wns general dissent on the Re
publican side. The chairman OF the com
mitteo had been ms lacking In frankness
as the administration had been with ref
erencs 70 its Philippine policy. Now 10
was proposed TO take this monstrosity
and cut IL down so as to provide in gem
eral for an army Of 5000 with sort of
sliding scale up to 100000 upon which
the President could exercise "his we'll
known powers of elasticity"
He agreed with Mr.. Dockery, be said,
that no President should be entrusted
with such power. much less man who
was seeking TO wage war against peo-
pie beyond the sea, in order to foroe them
TO submit TO a government they despised
and repudiated Every man In the house.
he declared. knew what the proposed
change meant--an army OF 100 900 by di-
rect enactment OF Congress or by tie will
OF the President. There was, be urged,
no reason why Congress should ahroeate
and give to tho President this extra
ordinary power. lie declared this Dill
would cost the treasury 500, 900. 600 year
and no warned the Republicans they
would not dare 90 to their constituents
on the record.
MIR. Hull contended that the larger the
army the less the oost per man.
Mr.. Cannon scored Mr.. johnson, who
would be- great man, he said, II his
taA hta ability Ha a III
not believe any one could be found who
would have wanted the army and navy to
depart from the Philippines up 10 this
time.
"You are mistaken" cried alvoice
from the Democratic side.
where Is hep asked MIR. Cannon,l look
Ing around. lie paused
MIR. Handy, Democrat OF Delaware, rose
up Everyone laughed. lis there an
otherY" shouted MIR. Cannon. I'VE will
have an experience meeting.
Mr.. Toad Fution of Michigan, arose
amid another outhurst OF laughter. but
he was the last. MIR. Cannon ridiculed the
idea of trotting out the lhost of Caesar.
ism in order TO fri9hten the country
MIR. Hay said that the Hull bill would
create 1900 officers 1900 more than Its
author would admit.
Mr.. johnson, replying to MIR. Cannon.
said that the original wrong was commit
sioners to Paris TO demand the cessiou Of
the Philippines. But now he should
withdraw the menace which inspired Ia
the people Of tue islands the well ground
ed fear that we were determined TO take
away their liberties
The only danger of the bill was that
the misguided policy OF the President
would provoke these people TO just
resentment. Now was the time 10 hight
this whole proposition to expose II and
agitate II ana not wait until the ma.
chinery for colonial policy was forged.
If It succeeded We should repent In sack
cloth and ashes
At 3 D. M, the House recessed until
s, the evening session to be devoted to
private pension Iegi~i ton.
At the night session 81 private pension
bills were passed. mir. Ray, Repu blica
of New YORK, then made the point OF no
quorum to prevent final action on u
bill to pension Letitia Tyler Sample,
u daughter OF ex-President Tyler. at the
rate OF $50 per month. The Senate passed
bill to pension her at $50 per month.
The House bin was for $50. but when
the House tonight restored 1t TO $50
against the committees recommendation,
Mr.. hay prevented final action by raising
the point of no quorum, The beneficiary
OF one OF the bills passed tonight was
over 100 years old.