Evening star., 1899-01-28
THE SIZE OF THE ARM Y
Another Animated Discussion of the Hull
Bill.
Mr.. johnson Again Criticises the Adj
ministratiOn for Using Force
Against the FilipinOs.

| In the House of Representatives yester-
| day afternoon, after Mr.. Henderson Of
! Iowa, one of the floor leaders of the major
| ity, had threatened to vote to recommt
| the army bin, Chairman Hull decided it
would be wise, in order to insure its pas
sage, to abandon the idea of providing
directly for regular army Of 100000 men.
He announced that the committee would
offer amendments to reduce the number of
enlisted men to about Go,o00, but lodge in
the Presidents discretion the authority to
increase the army to a maximum of 100000.
These amendments provide that the
President may, in his discretion, enlist
only sixty men in the infantry companies
and sixty in the cavalry troops BY the
terms of the bill there are to be thirty in
fantry regiments of ten companies EACH
with a strength of l45 men, and twelve regl-
ments of cavalry of ten troops each, with
a strength of 106 men. This discretion, if
the President would exercise it, would re-
duce the number Of enlisted men about 81 -
600 and practically leave intact the organi-
cation provided in the bill, so far as off,
GERS are concerned.
During the afternoon debate, speaking to
a pro forma amendment, Mr.. Shafroth
tCo1) argued that there could be no justi-
fication for authorizing a large permanent
increase of the army for what was admit
tea, ceFldlniy so IdF as tQDd was
cerned, to be temporary condition.
The first vote was taken on the commit
Tee amendment to increase the number of
chaplains from thirty to forty, and it was
carried, IS to IS.
Mr.. Hay Va) offered the following
amendment: Provided, that the increase
of the regular army beyond what it was
before the war with Spain shall only be
used in Porto Rico, Cuba, the Philippines
the Hawaiian Islands and the I.adrones
and provided further. that said increase
both officers and men, shall be mustered
out of che service within two years, or
sooner if the eXigeEcies permit
Mr.. Hay declared that by his statement
Mr.. Hull had abandoned the bill brought
| into the House by Offering to reduce the
proposed increase of the army by $1,000
men.
Mr.. Hull opposed the Hay amendment on
| the ground that it was a temporary ex-
pedient.
Mr.. Cox Tenn) interjected an inquiry
as to what would be done with the pro-
| posed army.
I'VE are going to place it where the chief
executive needs it to uphold the sovereignty
and authority of the United States"
This brought speech from Mr. Williams
| (Miss.) criticising the policy of forciby ex-
ertins out sovereignty and authority and
| of characterizing the Fiipinos as rebels
Mr.. Cannon Qll) spoke for the bill. The
war with Spain brought responsibilities
which had to be met and could not be
| avoided. AS to the peace treaty, Mr.. Cam
| non made an indirect intimation of an
extra session by saying the treaty would
| be ratified either February or else by
March 10.
"And after the treaty is ratified" ex-
claimed Mr.. Cannon, well hold the Phil
| ippines until the Congress of the United
| States has knowledge enough and wisdom
| enough and patriotism enough to say what
| we'll do with them.
Mr.. Hays amendment was voted down
| 92 to II.
| Mr. Mcclellan IN w then offarad tba
| amendment to strike out the adjutant gen.
| erals and inspector generals departments
| and create a general staff. He said If this
| amendment prevailed 1t would give the
| army a modern flexible general staff
| The amendment was lost without divi-
| sion.
| Mr.. Lacey moved to strike out the pro-
| vision for a lieutenant general. This he
| said, was question which had been fought
| over for years.
! The motion was adopted without division.
wouldn't Trust Jefferson.
Mr.. Dockery MOI charged that the fixing
of minimum was a palpable trick to stay
| the mutt arings of the opponents of the bill
| on the other side. He would be as willing
| to trust President Mckinley as any exeeu-
| tive, but he wouldn't trust Thomas Jeffer-
| son if that statesman could revisit the
earth with discretion to increase the stand
| ing army in time of peace from $4,000 to
| 100 COO
Mr.. Cannon ali3 said he had little pa
| tience with men who would count the cost
of our standing army when it was neces-
! sary for the -MSiic defense
| Mr.. Johrson und) got the, floor and re-
| peated something of the sersasic.l nc
| created Wednesday. When this 3 Il was
brought into the House, said he. The propo-
sition to quadruple the size of the standing
| army was so ,nonstrous that there was gen.
eial dissent On the republican side of the