The record-union., 1899-01-25
GeneraI Debate on the Bill in Lower
House Of Congress Yesterday,
Under Agreement That Final Vote Shall Be
Taken Next Tuesday.
The Fate of the Measure Still Con-
sidered Doubtful, Although
Chairman Hull of the Military
Friends Profess Confidence in
It's Passage.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 24.-The debate
on the army reorganization bill OPEN
ed in the House to-day under an agree
ment by which the general debate is to
run fifteen hours, exclusive of three
night sessions, the final vote to be
taken not later than o'clock next
Tuesday. Practically three PROPOSE
tons are before the House-the House
bill providing for a standing army OF
100000 men, the minority substitute
increasing the standing army to 30,OOn
men. and lodging with the President
discretionary power to call out $4,000
volunteer for emergency service, and
a proposition to continue temporarily
the regular army at it's present war
strength of 62000 men. 1t is also I'M
derstood that Marsh (R.) of Illinois will
champion the Miles bill. Among the
supporters of the majority bill there
are also those who, like Mcclellan Cd
of New York, son of General George
3. Mcclellan, favor a provision for a
general staff made up of officers of
the line, SO as to make the army or
ganization responsible to single head.
The fate of the measure is still con-
sidered doubtful, although Chairman
Hull and his friends profess great con-
fidence in it's passage. The debate to-
day was not exciting.
The opening of the debate on the
army organization attracted large at
tendance in the galleries of the House
to-day.
Mr.. Mercer (R.) of Nebraska at
tempted to secure unanimous consent
for setting aside February LIST for the
consideration of public buildings, but
Mahon (R.) of Pennsylvania objected
Hull, Chairman of the Military At
fairs Committee, in charge of the army
bill, then asked the House to ratifv
an agreement made in committee that
he should control the time in favor Of
the bill and Sulzer CD of New York,
the senior minority member of the
committee, in opposition to the bill
At Suffers suggestion it was agreed
that the vote should be taken not later
| than B o'clock on Tuesday next.
Hay, from the minority of the COM
nlittee, gave notice that the minority
had united upon a substitute bill, which
would be offered at the proper time
The House then went into committee
of the whole and took up the bill under
the agreement for fifteen hours for
general debate, with night session to-
Hull opened the debate in advocacy
of the bill in a brief speech. The bill
fixed no maximum strength for the en-
tire army, but under the organization
would permit a strength of 100000
men. The bill could be amended, if de-
sirable, so as to provide minimum,
in the discretion of the President, or
$4,000.
Hull declared that the present situa-
ton was a dangerous one. We We're
confronted with grave responsibilities,
even though we held the Philippines
temporarily. No one could tell what
would happen in thirty days. We could
not afford to sacrifice efficiency to
economy.
Cox CD of Tennessee, a member of
the committee, replied to Hull. He Ill
rected his argument against the main
proposition to increase the army to
100000. If we needed such a standing
army in time of peace, something must
have gone radically wrong with our
institutions.
Mcclellan CD of New York followed
in support of the bill.
Hay CD of Virginia, a member of
the committee, then took the aoo- in
opposition to the bill. He said the
country depended IN every CRISIS, upon
the volunteers, and he considered such
an army the peer CT raw recruits, with
the advantage that when their services
were not needed they could De muster
ed out, and millions in taxes saved the
people by making it unnecessary TO
maintain a large standing army. He
did not believe such a large army nee
essary or such a vast expenditure Of
money justified.
Parker (R.) of New Jersey advocated
the passage of the bill.
Bell of Colorado opposed the bill in
toto, as a measure designed to prepare
the way for Imperialism.
Brown (R.) of New York supported
the bill. In the course of his remarks
he quoted from the Presidents message
and utterances to show that there was
not an official or unofficial word which
stood in the way of the ultimate free
dom and independence of the Philip
pines. AS the military commander the
President had taken temporary possess
sion of the islands,
Landau CD of Texas, who closed
the debate at the afternoon session
against the BILL devoted his time prin-
cipally to an argument against imper-
ialism
At $50 p m. the House recessed UNI
til 8 o'clock.