The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-25
A LARGER STANDING ARMY.
CHAIRMAN null TELLS WHY HE
THINKS 1T is NEEDED.


Need an Army of 100000 i'm Time of
Pence, Says Cox of Tennessee.
McCIeiInn's Tribute TO the Regular
Soldier.
Washington, Jan A-The debate on the
army reorganization bill opened in the
House to-day under an agreement by
which the general debate is to run fifteen
hours, exclusive of three night sessions;
the final vote TO be taken not later than
8 o'clock next Tuesday
Among the supporters Of the bill there
are those who Ike Mr.. Mcclellan, Dem
ocrat. of New York, son of Gen. George
B. Mcclellan, favor a provision for a gen
eral staff made up of officers of the line
so as to make the army organization re-
sponslble to single head.
The fate of the measure is sun cousid-
cred doubtful, though Chairman HUI and
his friends profess great confidence in
its passage. The debate to-day was not
exciting. Mr.. Huh and Mr.. Mcclellan, in
support of the measure and Mr.. Hay Of
Virginia, in opposition, divided the hon
ors. Among the other speakers against
the measure were Messrs. Cox, Democrat
of Tennessee, and Lanham, Democrat Of
Texas
Mr.. Huh opened the debate In advocacy
of the bin in a brief speech. For years
he had been a supporter of reorgani2a-
ton and an increase in the regular army.
Now, with the territory gained from Spain,
for which we were responsible. and the re-
sponslbilty for which we could not shirk,
the increase became necessity.
Fixes No Maximum strength.
The bill fixed no maximum strength for
the entire army, but under the organiza-
ton would permit of a strength of 100000
men, The bill could be amended If de-
sired so as to provide minimum in the
discretion of the President Of 10000 He
explained briefly The organization of the
various branches of the service.
Mr. HUI declared that the present sltua-
ton was "A dangerous one We were con-
fronted with grave respons ibilities, he said
even though we held the Philippines tenn
porarily No one could tell what would
happen in thirty days. We could not af-
ford 10 sacrifice efficiency TO economy.
He declared that the proposal to main
tain the present strength OF the regular
army, 62,000, until 1900, was miserable
makeshift. and piece OF folly
No Such Army Needed.
MIR. Cox. Democrat Of Tennessee. replied
to Mr. Hull. lie directed his argument
against the main proposition to increase
the army TO coo. If we needed such a
Standing army in time of peace, something
must have gone radically wrong with our
institutions.
No power on earth wanted war with us
There could be no motive unless we invited
IT, He concluded with a quotation from
The writings of Andrew Jackson, which
solemnly warned the country against the
danger OF standing armies In time of
peace,
MIR. Mcclellan Democrat Of New York,
followed in support Of the bill He did
not speak in a spirit of partlsanship, he
said but he considered the crying need
of the hour, the reorganization Of the
army. The horrors and the scandals of
the war he declared were due 10 the sys-
TEN. not the men.
system should BE Changed.
The system permitted the appointment
of men to staff positions who would never
have been heard Of under a proper system.
Every breakdown could be Traced to one
or two causes-lack Of trained officers and
a properly organized STAFF.
The victories won on land were due
TO the splendid courage of the men, and
not 20 the obsolete system under which
the campaigns were conducted. Politics
had crept into the army An army could
not be run as a primary was. The PARIS
commune had tried that and failed. Mr..
Mcclellan paid beautiful tribute TO the
regular soldier.
"You arc doubtless familiar with he
cartoon representing a solder returned
from the war, lionzed by group Of citl-
zens.
Tribute to the Regulars.
".Are YOU one Of the heroes? asked a
Young lady, as she grasped his hand. No,
replied the soldier / amt no nero I'm a
regular There is more truth In that one
sentence than in all the treaties on the
war rolled into cne," continued Mr. Nc
Clellan. Not heroes in their own estma-
ton. only regulars. The United States
regular does mis- work quietly, silently,
Without fuss and without buster.
"The regular asks no thanks for doing
his duty. But he asks and has a right
10 expect that you viii make him an eli
Gent instrument.
"And to God be the thanks
For the men In the ranks,
Lei the line be black or white,
For the men at arms who stand on guard,
And keep the flag in sight"
Great applause).
Advantage of Volunteers.
Mr.. Hay, Democrat of Virginia, a mem
Der Of the committee, then took The floor
in opposition TO 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 unnecessary TO maintain a large
standing army. He did not believe such
a large army necessary, or such a vast
expenditure of money justified.
Mr.. Lanham, Democrat, Of Texas who
closed the debate for the afternoon session
against the bill, devoted his time to an
argument principally against Imperialism
At 2SO O'Clock the House recessed until
8 O'Clock. the evening session to be de-
voted 10 debate on the army bill