Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-23
Outlook Favorable for Peace Negotia-
tions in China.
EUROPEAN POWERS MAY UNBEND
Representative Hull on the Reor-
ganization Of the Army.
GEN ERAL MIL f s. PL A n


day that the prospect is now more favor
able to reaching basis for peace negotia-
| tions in China. The reason for this state
ment Is not fully known, except that the
Secretary has information that the Euro
pean powers are somewhat disposed to un-
bend in their attitude Of forcing the Chi
nese government to attempt the harshest
measures in dealing with the leaders of the
insurrection. The attitude of the United
States, heretofore outlined in The Star,
| is to force the Chinese officials to enforce
| the strongest punishment on the offenders
their weak government is capable of The
European governments have been disposed
to insist on the death penalty, but it is
thought they are beginning to the logic
| Of the American position.
There was no discussion of the matter of
reorganizing the army. The President is
waiting the return of Secretary Root and
will discuss that subject fully with the
head of the War Department.
Mr.. Hull and the Army.
Representative Hull, chairman of the
House committee on military affairs, had
short talk with the President this morning
| regarding the reorganization of the army.
Mr.. Hull has stated on the stump and to
newspapers that he is in favor of whatever
sonally, he favors army of 100000 men,
SO arranged that, If necessary, it can be
reduced to minimum of something over
$4,000. Although on record as willing to
make the army just whatever size the
President wants, Mr.. Hull said that there
was nothing in his interview with the Pres
ldent this morning to cause him to change
his views. This was taken to mean that
the President himself is in favor of an In
creased regular army, and that he will
either put himself on record in favor of
good-sized army or will not oppose the
views OF those who want large war or
ganlZauon. The President, however, is pre-
pairing his views on the subject and will
make them public in his message.
Early Meeting of the Committee.
Mr.. Hull said that the President agreed
with him that an early meeting of the
| military affairs committee might be produc-
| tive OF good results. Mr.. Hull said that he
would try to get the committee together by
Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. He
| was afraid that the members would not
| want to leave their homes until after
Thanksgiving day. but he would make the
| attempt to get them on before that time.
| He hoped he could do this by Tuesday.
Mr.. Hull repeats his assertion that the
army can be so constructed as to always
| have the frame work of army of at least
| 100000. This can be done by providing such
| an army, to be reduced when the authori-
ties saw fit the reduction to take place in
| the enlisted men only, leaving the officers
| untouched. When deemed advisable the
| army could be increased by enlistment but
| there would always be well-traned officers
| to do this.
| Gen. Miles Plan.
| General Miles has talked to the President
| and Mr.. Hull Of his plans These contem-
plate army of 5000 officers and men,
| one soldier for every 1000 inhabitants of
| the United States, automatically to adjust
| itself to each census. General Miles favors
| 1900 additional men to be enlisted, wholly
| for service in the Philippines.
| This plan, or the main features Of it, has
| lcng been urged by General Miles, and will
| be pressed by him again.
Gen. Sampson a Visitor.
! General Archibald ]. Sampson, minister of
the United States to Ecuador, was a caller
| at the White House today. General Samp-
| son has been in this country several months
| doing campaign work. He was in the con-
sular service in Mexico under President
| Harrison speaks Spanish fiuently, and has
made most excellent representative of the
| United States in South America.
| Ecuador Is prOspering and Is in flourish
ing condition." said General Sampson. 1.-The
| country adopted the gold standard in Au-
gust, 1899 and the law will go into effect
this month. The high officials of Ecuador
| were strongly hoping President Mckinley
would be reelected, as they have the most
friendly feeling for the United States Not
wthstanding the people speak Spanish they
| were friendly and sympathetic to us in the
war with Spain.
| Representative BOutelIs Views.
Representative Henry S. Boutel of Chi
cago has arrived in Washington and called
at the White House today. Mr. Boutell is
| int cd in tee uor ha c
come on here to look after that. He is
also interested in the work now being done
by the republican members of the ways
and means committee of the House on the
war revenue act. Mr.. Bouten, speaking
of what should be done In the matter Of
| reducing the war taxes, said: MY theory
is that the war tax act was passed hurried
ly and exclusively as a war measure
| Therefore it should be repealed early as
| possible. I favor repeal of the entire
| measure by arranging the different sched-
ules to be repealed at different dates. This
| would leave certain amount Of revenue tC
be derived by the government from this act
| up to whatever time 1t was thought that
| the money would be needed in government
J expenditures. If permanent conditions
after The repeal of the various sections
!, | should demand more revenue than that fur.
nished by the existing customs. interna
, revenue and other regular laws, then Con.
| gress could enact a law providing for rev.
enue to supply the deficit With the IN
| creasng income from the sources which
| the government has long had for securing
, its revenue / see no reason why the wal
, | revenue taxes should not go. AS I said il
1t is necessary afterward to provide more
, | money Congress could do so by taxation OF
! interests that have not been affected by
j this revenue tax. Taxation should be dis
tributed. OF course, 1 should give plenty
CT notice before repeating all of the sched
ules of the existing measure. 1 should bt
| in ia or of first repeating the beer tax ant
| the tax on proprietary medicines. From
fiscal point of view entirely the increase;
| tax on beer is a most unjust one. 1t is no
| paid by the consumers, but by the man
ufacturers or retailers. and Is sharply fel
by them. I should next repeal the annoying
little taxes like those on checks, tele
: grams, &c"
Condition of the Czar.