Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-01-25
DEBATING ON
THE ARMY BILL.
Measure is Ventilated in the House
Of Representatives.
ARE THREE PROPOSITIONS
day Upon Merit. Of House and
Minority mis-.

Washington. Jan. 2i-'rhc debate on
the army reorganization bill opened W
the House today under an agreement
by which the general debate IN 10 run
nucon houru exclusive of three night
sessions. the final vote to be taken not
later thnn three o'clock next Tuesday.
Practically three propositions are be-
fore the House. the House bill provid
lng Tor standing army Of 100000 men;
the minority substitute decreasing the
standing army to $1,000 mon and lodg-
ing with the President discretionary
power 10 call out $1,000 volunteers for
emergency service aud proposition To
continue temporarily the regular army
NJ IL present war strcngth-Ss,Op0 men.
II II also understood that Mr. Marsh
tl,ep. M will champion the Miles bill.
Among the supporters OF the majority
hill there are those who like MIR. Me-
clcllan Dem. y. ", son OF General
George u. Mcclellan. favor provision
for "a general stan made OF officers OF
the line. NO as To make the army organ
lzation responsible to u single head.
The fate Of the measure II rtlll confid-
cred doubtful. although Chairman HUI
and his friends profess great confidence
In ltH passage. The debate today was
not cvcitinH.
The opening OF the debate attracted
a large attendance IN the galleries.
Me- Mercer utcp.. Ncb.D attempted to
secure unanimous consent for setting
aside February ist for the conridera-
tion OF public building bills. but Mt.
Mahon utcp.. Pal objected. MIR. HUI.
chairman OF the military affairs com
mttcc In charge Of the army bill. then
asked the House TO rntify an agreement
made In committee that he should con-
troll the time In favor Of the bill and
Mr. Sulxcr 'bcm.. ". W, the senior
minority member OF the committee, IN
opposition 10 tho bill. The House then
went into committee and took up the
hill under the agreement Tor fifteen
hours for general debate with night
sessions tonight. tomorrow and Thurs
lay nights.
THE FIRST GUN.
Mr.. Hun opened the debate In advo.
cacy or tho BIZ. IN brief speech. The
bill nNcd no maximum strength for the
entire army. but under the orERnlxa-
tion would permit strength of 100 900
men. The hill could he amended n de-
rlfahlc 10 ~ to provide minimum. In
the discretion OF the President ~ s0OOO.
Mr.. ,iuil declared that the present sit
unilon WIS dangerous one. We were
confronted with grave responsibilities.
even though we hold the philippines
temporarily. No one could tell what
would happen In thirty days We could
not afford 10 sacrifice efficiency to
economy. He declared that the propo-
sal 10 continue the present strength Of
the regular army tf3 900 until 1900 was
a miserable makcshift ana u piece OF
folly.
Mr.. Cox Dem. Tcnn.). n member ~
the committee. replied TO Air. Hun. iie
directed his argument against N" main
proposition to Increase the army Ia
10000 n We needed such standing
army In time Of peace something must
have gone radically wrong with our In
atllutlons. No power ON cnrth wanted
war with ur. There could be no motive
unless We invited H.
Mr.. Mcclellan tDcm.. ". W. followed
In support Of the bill. lie did not speak
In n spirit ~ partinanship. he said. but
he considered the crying need OF the
hour the reorganization or the army,
lie had no desire To- reflect on any ofil-
clal In the war establishment. hut We
ought 10 take To heart the lessons 81 the
late war, " the congressional elections
had resulted differently II might have
been possible to have honestly inNerti-
gated the war, TO have separated the
goats from the sheep and have punished
the ruii,y. Hut no Eood could come
now ~ washing our dirty linen IN pub
lie. Congress would not permit MS Ia
investigate. much less prove the facts.
Mcclellan paid a beautiful tribute 10
the regular soldier.
HAY OPPOSES THE BiLL.
Mr.. Hay Dem. Val. member Of
the committee. then took the iiOor In
opposition 10 the bill. He said this
country had depended In every crisis
upon the volunteers, and he considered
such an army the peer OF raw recruits.
with the advantage that when their
services were not needed they could be
mustered out. and millions In taxes
saved the people by making II unnecea-
hnfy To maintain u large standing
army. lie did not believe such n large
army or such a vast expenditure OF