Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-27
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIV

sion.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
When the House met today but little
more than an hour remained of the time
for general debate on the army reorganiza-
ton bill.
Mr.. Henderson Qowa) was the first
speaker today. He had. he said, been slow
to catch the war fever last spring. He had
foreseen some of the future trouble as the
outgrowth of the difficulties which beset us
at our immediate doors, but he had not an
ticipated that we would be carried to an
other hemisphere 1000 miles from our
shores.
He looked with aversion upon any propo-
sition to Increase the regular army and he
hoped it would not be necessary to esta-
blish standing army of 100000 men. He
was, however, in view of the conditions,
wiling to cheerfully support a proposition
to increase the army to $4,000 or $4,000
men. Beyond that he hoped he would not
be called upon to go. But if Congress must
go beyond that ne trusted that no provision
for 100000 men would be made, but that
discretion be lodged with the President.
The President could be trusted. If the bill
as drawn was not amended he would, he
said, support motion to recommit the bill
with instructions to recast it on the basis
of 10000 enlisted men.
No Need of an Army of 100000.
He did not desire unnecessarily to in
crease taxation. There was nothing in this
country to call for a standing army of 100,-
600 men. The people were peaceful and
there was absolutely nothing in the United
States TO draw the fire of the guns of any
other country on the globe.
Mr.. Henderson spoke of the demonstra-
ton of the 'kickers' which the country
and the House had witnessed. The kicking
had begun before the war was fairly under
way. Some kicked" at the President
some at the Secretary of War; some at the
stan; some at the adjutant general There
was kicking" at everything and anything.
1t was easy to kick 1t was the cheapest
kind of craftsmanship. and the applause
that greeted it was the cheapest sort of ap-
plause.
Ii had been charged, he said, that the
commission appointed to investigate the
war was stacked" He eulogiZed all the
members of the commission, Chairman
Dodge by name, paying high tribute to
his incOrruptible and fearless character.
Adyerting to Mr.. Johnson's speech on
Wednesday, ne said that never in sixteen
years experience had he heard a speech
so deserving of the condemnation of patri-
otto hearts.
The Presidents Conrse.
What crime had the President committed?
The President had done everything possible
to prevent the war. Was that crime?
There was not enough powder in the coun-
try to last our guns twenty-four hours.
there were neither arms. ambulances, surgi-
cal instruments or other equipment. When
war came he quickly set factories and
arsenais in motion. Then he forced the
fighting in two hernispheres, and in lib days
he had whipped the enemy on land and sea
and had wound up the war before the peo-
pie of the country had fully realized that it
had begun. Was that a crime?
He had driven the enemy from Cuba, he
had seized Porto Rico and the richest
island of the IadroHes. Was that crime?
By the guns of his country and ~ treaty
he had Terminated the war. Was that a
crime?
The treaty Invested Spain of her SOW
ereignty over the Philippines After it was
ratified new problems would come Until
1t was ratified the war was legally still in
progress. During the war 1t had been the
duty of the President. as the COMMANDMENT
chief of the army, to strike the enemy
where the blow would hurt He had struck
him in the Philippines, and the echo of
that blow would ring through coming ages
Until the treaty was ratified the Presi-
dent must hold what we had taken.
But" said he, with deIiberation. Il say
frankly that [ entertain grave doubts as to
the wisdom of holding the Philippines
against their will" democratic app.ause)
While this was his present opinion, how
ever. he added that when the time came
to determine this question he must know
what his duty to his country was.
Mr. Grow (Pa.) argued that the future of
the Philippines was question for the
futme Neither FilipinOs nor the Porto
RicaHS said he. had the right TO haul
down the American flag. 1t had been
planted by The American people and ii must
stand until the American people replaced it.
Mr.. Prince Gll) supported the bill and
Mr.. Robinson Qnd) opposed it.
Mr.. Cousins QoWa), in support of the bill
did not touch the Philippine question. He
said that the milk in the cocOanut of the
opposition to this bill WAS its increase in
the manifestation of federal authority.
The Army Not Menace.
ANY articulation of the national spirit
Is regarded by some people as the voice Of
tyranny" said he, but if a patriotic mani
festation of federal authority or assertion
of the national spirit is a threat at per-
scnal liberty. end a menace at our institu-
tons, then th3 very existence of the ma
uonal spirit must be an inherent evil I
have not lived long enough to have learned
of anything in the history of the exploits
of American soldiery or of their service to
justify that suspicion which is cast upon
the institution known as the regular army
of the United States, by the imputation
that 1t could ever be used as a menace 10
the liberties of American citizenship. Does
the history Of vaior and of glory in the
revolution prompt the gentlemen OF the
minority and of the opposition to warn
America against American soldiary? Does
the record of the regulars led by Cen
Jackson at New Orleans fill the hearts of
gentlemen with fear or apprehension for
the safety of our citizens? Does Chapllta-
pee send warning even into modern Wash
irgton? Did there ever issue from the lps
now closed in everlasting love and fame in
that silent mausoleum by the Hudson any
word of menace to a future citizen. any
| thought save peace, any oracle save lib
| erty and union?
| God spare grateful country and an ad-
Tfrnf- Il
| matchless magnanimity of Appomattox
| The lonely graves of regulars dot the
western plains, unlettered and obscure Can
/ 1t be possible that in those sepulchers of
| silence gentlemen hear echoes of dead
| voices menacing our liberties? Shall any
| thought of tyranny be attributed 70 For
| syth and his nifty gallant followers in that
| famous conflict with the Sioux? Would a
| standing army of 70,0O0,O00 of men like