The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-02-24
FRIDAY. FEBRUARY "a. 1899.
The Army Bill Compromise.


Neither the President nor the country
at large desires TO face a necessity for an
extraordinary session of Congress. To
avoid it there must be a compromise be-
tween the national and opposition forces
in Congress in the matter of the Army bill.
It is practically certain that a modus
vivendi has been reached, and that mea-
sure providing for an extension of the
present law. authorizing a regular force
of g.. 600 men, and provisional army Of
50 900 additional, will be reported and
passed between now and the 4th of March.
Thus, the situation, as regards the
ability OF the President to suppress
rebellion and effectively garrison our
colonies. is improved. The question of a
permanent reorganization of the army is
postponed to the future and that is a
good thing under existing circumstances.
The Hull bill TO which the Administration
stands committed, is a measure that no.
body with the least hope OF seeing the
United States Army placed upon a scien-
tiic or honest basis can approve. One
of the Presidents best friends, Senator
Proctor OF Vermont. contemns it as devot-
ing the army staff to the certain scandal
and decentralization of political control. 1t
would have been better II Mr.. Mckinley
had hearkened to the objections of men
like Mr.. Proctor and given his adhesion
TO the provisions of the Hawley bill sup
ported as they are by such trained SOL
diers as General Miles and General Scho-
field. That he has not done so justifes the
suspicion that he is still under the influence
OF the Alger ring which has fought for
the Hull bill for reasons VIGOROUSLY OBJ
noxious 10 the public good, and otherwise
intrinsically unworthy.
But. bad as the Hull bill unquestionably
is. the President cannot be ignorant of
the fact that it would not have excited
the opposition it has, nor that its offensive
details might have been overlooked in
time of emergency. II all parties and infiu-
ences had not strenuously objected to any
proposition involving continuance of the
power of Russell i. Alger.
The compromise that could have been
made at any time is one under the terms
OF which President Mckinley would I'M
dertake to remove his discredited secre-
tary of War. Agreeing to that universal
PUBIC demand, ne COlIl secure dll4OSl dl4-
concessions he might ask. and, at the same
time. bring to his side such majority in
both houses of Congress that opposition
would vanish.
Thinking people generally regard the
Hull bill as an outrage. but the country
would lose sight of even that if it could
be assured that, in accepting the Hull bill,
it would be instantly rid of the greater
evil II would be sensible on the Presi-
dents part not TO let the sun of the Fifty
fifth Congress go down on the wrath Of the
American people against Alger. He owes
it to himself, his political future, and to
the nation that hopes and trusts in his pa
triotism and honor to remove Alger az
once.
If Mr.. Mckinley does not see this, let
him take Alger with him and place him
on public exhibition in any American city
or town, The populace anywhere and
everywhere can be safely counted on to ex-
press sentiment that is not by any means
confined to Boston.