The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-31
EPIDEMIC Of HYSTER|A
Republicans Anxious for War to
Enslave a People:
ARMY BILL IN THE HOUSE
Berry of Kentucky Is fer the Retention
OF the Philippines Until They Are Able
to Take Care of Themselves
Duty to Uphold the Treaty.

| Washington, Jan. 30.-The house put
in hard days work on the army bill,
and tonight when it adjourned, Is of
| the 20 pages had been completed. The
committee amendments, giving the
president discretionary power to reduce
| the size of the infantry companies and
cavalry troops to 60 men each, We're
adopted, and also a series of amend
| ments to reduce the officers of the staff.
| A substitute was adopted for the section
| providing for promotions, designed to
| equalize promotions. A fight was made
| to reduce the age limit for officers to be
| appointed to the various staff depart
ments from so to 30, but it failed. An
| amendment was however. adopted to
require mental and moral as well as
well as physical examination for such
| appointees. Much of the time to-day
was occupied in short speeches on the
! general proposition to increase the
army and annex the Philippines. and
| there were several lively personal con-
| troverses. The house will meet to-
morrow at II o'clock, and whatever
time remains before o'clock after the
| bill is completed under the five minute
rule will be devoted to general debate.
The heavyweights on both sides will
| close.
The final vote is to be taken at 8
o'clock.
At the opening of the house to-day
Hopkins. rep, Ills, reported the census
| bill and gave notice he would call it up
next Monday. The house then resumed
consideration of the army reorganiza-
ton bill under agreement if the bill was
completed to-day under the five-minute
rule, the time tomorrow before 3
o'clock will be devoted to general de-
bate. This arrangement was adopted
| to give the leaders on each side an op-
| portunity to close.
| The first amendment offered to-day
| was that of which the committee he'd
given notice authorizing the president
to enlist only so men in cavalry troop
| and 60 in an infantry company.
| Marsh, rep, Ills, who offered the
amendment, said this would reduce the
enlisted force to $4,000 if the president
exercised the discretion it conferred up
| on him. After debate Marsh's amend
| ment relating to cavalry troops was
| adopted 1O5 to so.
Mr. Hay offered the amendment of
| which he had given notice, and it was
| lost.
|
| that the only difference between the
| minority substitute and the pending
| bill was that one gave the president
discretion to enlist $4,000 volunteers and
the ether $4,000 regulars. Both sides
| conceded that for at least two Years
an increase in the army was necessary.
| Mr.. Johnson, rep, Ind. denounced
| what he termed the attempt to betog
the issue and place the opponents of the
bill in false position. He was will
| ing to vote for bill to reorganize the
| army, but he was unwilling to vote for
an army of 100000 which he firmly be-
| lieved was to be used when congress
adjourned to annex foreign territory
and foist upon the country and posteri
| ty colonial policy. This bill was
| sanctioned by the president, he had 10
doubt, and the compromise had been
| brought about in order to allay the OPP
| position. Its purpose was and would
be to create an army of 100000.
| Mr.. Clark, dem, Mo-. in a character
istic speech declared there was an cpl
demic of hysteria in the house and that
members not seized with the malady
| could not get a, hearing. The demo-
Gratis had been in favor of a war to free
| a people. The republicans were now
anxious for war to enslave a people.
| The republicans jeered when he drew
| a picture of the militarism of the fu-
| ture.
Mr.. Bland. DEM, Mo-. declared that
| the country, the administration and con-
gress were drifting. No one knew what
annexation of the Philippines, the adj
ministration should avow it. Congress
| should not legisiate in the dark.
| Mr.. Berry, DEM, KY, announced HIM
| self, amid an outbreak Of republicans,
on the republican side for the retention
Of every foot Of territory We had ac-
quired.
But I want to say right here" con-
tinued Mr.. Berry, that 1 never want to
see the Philippines represented on this
| floor
What would you do with them?"
inquired Mr.. Mcguire, DEM, Cal.
II would keep them under our control
and protection, as we will Cuba, until
they are able to take care of them
selves
Mr.. Berry held aloft long list of
names which he said were those of men
who had obtained appointments in the
army because of the influence of grand
| fathers or fathers or uncles or aunts.
AS democrat he Endorsed the action of
the peace commission he said, and he
believed it was the duty of the United
States to uphold the treaty-uphold it
against Aguinaldo in the Philippines
|
| in Cuba.
Mr.. Hull said the bill had been drawn
| by General Schwan, Major Heistand
and Major Johnson. He offered the
amendment giving the president discre-
| ton to reduce the number of enlisted
men in infantry companies from 145 to
| 60, and it was agreed to.
| Mr.. Griffin, rep, Wis, offered sub
sttute for section 5. which had been
| agreed to by the committee. 1t was de-
signed to equalize promotions. To this
| an amendment was offered to authorize
in time of war the employment of re-
| tired officers on other than active duty.
The substitute and amendment We're
| adopted.
| Mr.. Simpson and Mr.. Mahon, rep,
| Pa, became engaged in an alteration,
which reached it's climax when the lat
ter denounced the former as a dema-
gogue.
Mr.. Simpson rose to a question of per-
sonal privilege in order to reply. He
| termed Mr.. Mahon a ''plutogogue," and
said that it was but natural that men