The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-02-21

and enthusiastic vote, of resolution
approving the Connell military bill and
directing the secretary to endeayor to
enlist the cooperation of the boards
of trade throughout the country in urg-
ing congress to make it a law.
The bill. Colonel Hitchcock explained,
was drafted by q number of present
and former local members OF the ma
tional guard. 1t provides for the or
ganizatiun of n national guard of 300
00O mon. distributed among the differ
ent states as Is the present state milf
tia, bu; to be equipped partially sus-
tanned and entirely schoOled by the ma
tiunal war department, in return for
which the guardsmen will be subject
at any period of their enlistment to
six months service i'm the United States
army.
The purpose is to have an auxiliary
TO the regular army that will be ready
for action at a moments notice.
This is very important matter. Col
oncl Hitchcock went on to say. Our
national defense is as much within the
scope of board of trade work as any
matter it ever gives attention to.
SAVED US A WAR.
Some good-slzed nation will come
along and give us laundering good
walloping and then we will wake up
to this fact. We have had war once
every twenty years on the average
during the last century. We would
have been spared the last war had
| the Connell bill been in active opera
! tton reasonable time previous to it.
| Spain would never have resisted had
she seen an army of 100000, instead
of 25,0O0 to contend against.
We had 26O,OOO men in the field, it is
true, shortly after the declaration of
war, but we didn't have an army.
! They didn't amount to anything, and
! If they had to go up against a good
army we would have found it out.
Colonel Hitchcock only asked for the
boards sanction of the measure but
the board, at j. d. Williams sugges-
tion, decided to go farther. and en-
deavur to have all the boards of trade
in the country petition for its enact
| ment into a law.
The bill is in the hands of the COM
| nittee on military affairs in the house
of representatives. but is not likely
to be reached at this session. 1t will
| however. be re-introduced by Con-
| gressman Connell with some amend.
ments at the opening of the next ses.
sion, and an energetic effort made &c
carry 1t through. The squabble ovel
the Hull bill is what makes it's con
! sidoration at this session rather hope
less.
THE SHIPPING BILL,
a communication was received from
the New York chamber of Commerct
! asking the boards COmmendation o.
the bill to revise American shipping
on Colonel HitchcoCk's motion th'
matter was referred to the committet
ON legislation and taxes.
Secretary Atherton transmitted re-
quest from Attorney George c. Yocun
that the board vote it's approval of the
project to bring James Whitcomb Ril
ey here to give lecture mex
month. The board adopted a motion
{ to receive the communication and place
it on file.
The finance committee, through
Chair. an a. II. Christy, reported hav
ing examined the accounts Of the sec
retary and treasurer and found then
correct.
The designations of Arthur !. Col
lins and ]. James Taylor were received
and adopted.
The board listened to a letter from
Thomas II. Dibble setting forth tn
eXcellencies of his students Grill,
a new tangled gas stove, and late
enjoyed an "occular and gastronomic'
demonstration of these eXcellencies
Thrty-fiVe members We're served witt
roast duck, apple sauce, pork and bean
and a lot of other delicacies prepared
with the grill" in the secretary's cfiic
while the meeting was in progress.
Captain Dibbles request that tn
board take up the matter of captaliz
ing a company for the manufacture o
his invention was referred to the man
ufacturers committee.