The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-27
ARMY BILL IN THE HOUSE
Discussion Was Without Any
Notable Incident.
Mr.. GROSVENOR'S SPEECH
He Declares the Future of the Philip
pines Is for Congress to Decide.
Friends of the Measure Con-
fldent 1t viii Pass.

| Washington, Jan. 26.--The third day
of the debate upon the bill for the re-
organization and increase of the regu-
lar army passed without notable Incl
dent It's feature was an hours speech
by Mr.. Grosvenor of Ohio, whose utter
ances, rightly or wrongly, are fire.
quently supposed to reflect the views of
the president. Mr.. Grosvenor declared
most emphatically that the present sit
uation in the Philippines was due to the
opposition in this country to the ratifi-
cation of the peace treaty He an
nounced that the future of the islands
is matter for congress to decide and
that for the president to announce a
policy would be for him to usurp the
authority of congress. The friends of
the bill continue to express great con-
ndence In the passage of the bill. but
they admit that some important modi-
| fcations may be made. The advocates
| OF general staff detailed from the line
may be successful and the size of the
infantry companies may be reduced.
| Without preliminary business the
| house to-day resumed consideration of
the army bill. Mr.. Marsh, rep, ILL.,, a
member Of the military committee. was
the first speaker. He opposed certain
features of the bill, although he said
| he hardly favored the reorganization
| and enlargement of the army.
In committee he had reserved the
| right to oppose these features. He
was not prepared to say that he reg
ular army should be increased 10 106,-
600 men, but he was willing to cave
the size of the army to the discretion
OF the president. and he said he should
offer an amendment giving him that
discretion. Continuing, MIR. Marsh said
ne violated no confidence when he said
that the president was in sympathy
with his proposed amendment. The
president had told him that he would
| not enlist man or commission an Of
| f1cer more than he deemed necessary.
He should, at the proper time, lie said,
| offer an amendment providing that
staff officers be detailed from ths 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 expressed
the opinion that the weak st point in
the army during the war had be en- in
the staff. The blunders ma lie could DE
| traced to that weakness. General
| 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
| willing or not For four wears we had
fought in this country to rorce the
southern people to submit to the cen
stitution against their will. 1t was ao-
surd to say that we could MT employ
| force to take and hold he Phlinpines.
Mr.. Dinsmore, DEM. Ark opposed
the bill. A standing army nigh. lead
| to disaster. he said. In the course of.
his remarks Mr.. Dnsmore raised a
laugh at the expense If Mr.. d oliver,
rep, Ia, by recalling a statement made.
| by the latter in a spec III during the
| hfty-trst congress in when he IRE
| dicted the free coinage of silver before
the close of President Harrison's ad-
ministration.
Mr.. Dolliver called attention to the
! TACT that the speech was made in up-.
| position to free coinage
Mr.. Dinsmore warmly opposed the
| annexation of the Philippines
Mr.. Grosvenor, rep, D, followed Mr..
Dinsmore. In opposition, Mr.. .irosvenor
SAID ne would approach will due SOL
emnity a measure fraught with such
far-reachng consequences. He should
aim simply to point out his own posi-
ton. distinctly disclaimrng that he
spoke for any one else. He did not
wonder that there was a wide, distinct
antlpodal difference upon the question
said to be involved in This bill These
who imagined it threatened an assault
upon their liberties, naturally assault
ed it vigorously. Despite this alleged
horror at the prospect Ct mlitar,sm,
but twice in the history Of The coun-
try had the. regular army been used,
save in war. He recalled the action of
President Cleveland during the Chi
cago riots in sending troops there on
the advise of Secretary Olney, saying
that that act commended itself to
nm more than any other of the Cleve-
land administration. The idea that
the army might be invoked to sub
vert our liberties was a man of straw
which gentlemen set up. 1t was a
SANDER upon the American people, He
characterized Mr.. Johnson's speech yes
terday as the most vindictive attack
upon the administration he had heard
on the floor of the house. The trouble
was that the foundation upon which
! the whole magnificent superstruct1re
| was built was false.
The argument he had made answered
itself as soon as the intelligent mind re-
| capltulated the history of the past few
months. Mr.. G-osvenor commended that
the purpose of the administra ton had
never deviated from the time the decla-
| ration OF war was adopted with the alb
| surd provision in it which no one here
would support now. From that day to
| this, this government, under the guild
| ing hand of the administration. had
| never deviated from its purpose and
stood to-day simply executing the or
ders and DEGREES Of congress, of civil
ization and of Almighty God.
Does the gentleman mean the Tel
Ter provision as the absurd provision
in the declaration of war;" asked Mr.
Dinsnore.
Il mean the provision that the people
of Cuba were and of right ought to be
free and independent" replied Mr..
Grosvenor.
Proceeding, Mr. Grosvenor declared
that the foundation of all our troubles
originated on May /, 1895 Incidentally.
at this point, he mentioned the desul-
tory discussion in the press of Admiral
Dewey as the democratic candidate for
| the presidency in 1900. And yet he
| said. it was Dewey who had cot the
country into all this trouble. At that
time, he continued, there was not
thought of the Philippines: there was
| not one on this floor who knew within
thousand how many islands were in
the archipelago. AT that time, when
we had no thought of the Philippines.