The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-01-25
ARMY BILL TAKEN Up.
General Debate Will Run Fifteen
ronrs.
PRACTICALLY THREE PROPOSE.
Tfoss ARE Before ROUSE.

The Fate of the Measure Considered
Doubtful Though Chairman Hull
Processes Great Coincidence I'm II.
Psssage--Debate Yesterday Was Not
Exciting.
Washington. January "a. -1he debate
ON the army reorganization bill opened
In the House today under an agreement
by which the general debate Is to run
10 hours exclusive Of three night sessions,
the final vote to DO taken not later than
8 O'Clock Tuesday. Practically three
propositions are before the House. the bill,
providing for standing army Of 100. 600
men, the minority substitute increasing
the standing army to $1,000 men and
lodging With the President discretionary
power to call out 80, 600 volunteers for
emergency services and proposition to
continue temporarily the regular army
at Its present war strengthen. 900 men.
IL Is also understood that Mr. Marsh.
Republican Of Illinois, will champion
the Miles bill. Among the supporters of
the majority bill. Among the supporters
Of the majority bill, there are those who.
like Mr.. Mcclellan, Democrat Of New
York, favor a provision for general staff
made up OF officers of the line 80 as TO
make the army organization responsible
to a single head. The fate of the measure
Is. still considered doubtful, though
Chairman Hull and his friends profess
great confidence in its passage. The
debate today was rot exciting Mr.. Hull,
aud MIR. Mcclellan Ia support of the
measure, and MIR. Hay OF Virginia In OPP
positions, dividing the honors today.
The other speakers were Messrs. Parker,
Republican Of New Jersey, and Brown,
Republican OF Ohio, in favor of, and
Messs Cox. Democrat OF Tennessee,
Bell, populist of Colorado. and Lanham,
Democrat Of Texas, against it.
Washington, january 24-The opening
OF the debate on the army re-organiza-
ton bill attracted large attendants In
the galleries OF the House today. Mr..
Mercer, Republican of Nevada, attempted
to secure unanimous consent for setting
aside February for the consideration of
public building bills, but MIR. Mahon,
Republican, objected.
MIR. Hull. chairman of the military
affairs committee, In charge of the army
bill, then asked tho House TO ratify an
agreement many In committee that he
should control the time In favor Of the
bill and Mr. Sulzer, Democrat of New
York, the senior minority member of the
committee opposition to the bill.
Mr.. Sulzer suggested that the final
vote te taken next Tuesday at 3 O'Clock
Mr.. Hepburn, Republican of Indiana,
objected to such an extended time but
Mr.. Bailey pointed out that the minority
regarded this as the most important bill
to come before the House ct this session.
MIR. Suffers suggestion was agreed TO,
modified so that the vote should be TAX
en- mot later than 3 O'Clock Tuesday
next -
Mir. Hay. from the minority of the
gave notice that the minority
had united upon sub-bill which would
be offered at the proper time.
The House then went into committee
of the whole. Mr.. Payne in the ohair) |
and took up the bill under the agreement
for 10 hours general debate with night
sessions tonight, tomorrow and Thursday
nights.
Mr Hull opened the debate In advocacy
OF the bill Nor years, he said, he had
been q supporter1of a re Organization ana |
AN increase In the regular army. Now
with the territory gained from Spain,
for which we could not shrink, the In |
crease becomes necessity. The bill fixed
no maximum strength for the entire
army, but under reorganization would
permit of q strength of 100. 600 men The
hill cottId ha a"andad ~ Ia.
TO provide q minimum, in the discretion
Of the President OF SO. 600. He explained |
/ he organization OF the various branches
Of the servioe.
Mr.. Hull declared that the situation
was dangerous. We were confronted with
held the Philippines temporarily. No one
could tell what would happen In these
days We could not afford to sacrifice
to economy. MIR. Hull then
took up the staff features of the bill. |
Gen. Miles, he said advocated u general
staff. plan, he said, which had great |
merit, but had tine great drawba that
politics into the army. MIR. Hull de.
clared that the proposal to continue the |
present strength of the regular army |
(62, 0O0) until 1900, was a miserable make |
shift and piece of folly. Even II adopt |
ID, ths terms OF the law required that
al hoAhsoEe pnAbOcu iast hpriuH ufusb Do
out. They would be- entitled |
10 return home and receive travel pay |
aud rations and would then have to be |
re-enlisted again. He thought a spirit |
of patriotism dem anded that this Con-
gress should legislate to meet the present |
as IL found It, |
Mir. Cox, Democrat of Tennessee, a |
member OF the committee, replied to MIR. |
Hull He directed his argument against |
The main proposition tonincresss the |
army to 100, 900. If We need such stand |
ing army In time Of peace, something |
must ..have gone radically wrong with |
our institutions. The only real excuse |
Tor maintaining such anlarmy would DO
70 keep the country always In position |
20 tight at the drop of a hat with any
nation on earth.
No power on earth wanted war with us |
There could be no motive unless we |
invited 1t. He concluded with quota.
ion from the writings of Andrew Jack
ION, which solemnly warned the country
against the danger of standing armies In
fine Of peace.
MIR. Mcclellan, Democrat of New
York, supported the bill He did not