Evening star., 1900-12-05
ARMY BILL TAKEN UP
Special Order Adopted by the
House.
EXPLANATION MADE BY Mr.. HULL
Two Hours Given Each Side for
General Debate.
CONSIDERING CANAL TREATY

Before the House Of Representa- tives met
today the republican leaders decided to
proceed today with the army reorsaniza-
ton bill which Chairman Hull of the mill
tary committee reported yesterday.
When the House met the Speaker an
nounced that he had communication
from the family Of Mr.. Boutele of Maine,
reslgning his position chairman of the
committee on naval affairs. He also an
nounced the appointment of Mr.. Shaw Of
New York as a member of the committee
on invalid pensions. Mr.. Dalzell CPal,
from the committee on rules then pre-
sented the following special order for the
consideration of the army bill: Resolved,
that Immediately after the adoption of this
resolution the House shall resolve Itself
into committee of the whole on the state
of the Union to consider Senate bill 430o,
An act to increase the efficiency of the
military establishment of the United
States This rule is not to interfere with
other special orders"
Mr.. DalZel, explaining the necessity for
the immediate consideration of the army
bill. pointed out the fact that July l. 1901,
under the present law, the army would be
reduced to 26,OG0-less than half the num-
ber now in the Philippines. Legislation of
some character was imperative and the
department urged the necessity of haste
1t would take time to recruit and organ
ize the new army which must replace the
old.
Objection of the Minority.
Mr. Richardson (Tenn), on behalf of the
minority, said those on his side of the
House recognized the necessity for some
legislation. but they did not agree that this
bill, establishing a permanent standing
army, should become a law. If an emer-
gency exists emergency should be pro-
vided for, large standing army should
not be established. He would not take
time. he said. to mention all the obnoxious
features of the bill. But one was funda-
mental. 1t was proposed to provide an
army which could be expanded at the Will
of one man from 5S000 to 100000. No mat
ter how good or able that man might be he
was not willing to see one man given such
power. 1t was in his opinion, abdicating
the functions of Congress.
Mr.. Richardson said he was ready at all
times to vote to put down rebellion any
where and everywhere that it existed, but
under the stress of emergency he was
not willing to establish permanently large
standing army.
Mr. Underwood (Ala) also inve.ghed
against clothing the President with discre-
tionary power to expand or contract the
army at will.
Favors "A Large Standing Army.
Mr.. Grosvenor (Ohio). in support of the
resolution, said that personally he in
The people, he sad. were not frightened
when a demagogue said that the purpose in
increasing the army was to station large
regiments near large cities to oppress labor
They were not alarmed by the cries that
their liberty was to be subverted. AS for
the opposition to the sliding scale" the
President always had practically been su-
preme in the use of the army. Why should
he not in the use of his discretion have
the power in time of necessity to expand the
Srl,, h,lfE fn
tenn that never had the President of the
United States attempted to abuse his power
over the army One of the magnificent acts
of Grover Cleveland had been his assump-
tion of his duty to keep the peace IN a
great commonwealth by means of the
United States army when the governor or
that state did not want him to interfere
Mr.. Grosvenor said If there had been a
standing army CT 10000 loyal men at tie
battle of Bull Run the rebellion would have
ended in thirty days.
MIR. Grosvenor and Mr.. Underwood IN
dulged in some sharp cross-firng, after
which the resolution was adopted without
division.
Mr.. Hull. who was in charge of the bill.
and Mr.. Sulzer (N.Y.), on behalf of the nj
nority. then arranged that general debate
should run for four hours, two hours on a
side and that then the bill should be con-
sidered under the five-minute rule. The
agreement was ratified by the House.
Mr. Hull suggested that the oleomargarine
bill, which was special order for tomor-
disposed Of
THIS request aroused the friends and oppo-
nents of the latter bill, lest postponement
of the order would give one side the
other a tactical parliamentary advantage.
and Mr.. Underwood finally objected.
The House then went into committee OF
the whole (Mr. Dalzell of Penns ylvania IN
the chair) and took up the consideration OF
the army bill.
Statement by Mr.. Hull.
Mr. Hull made the opening statement. He
explained the details of the bill, which, ne
said followed practically the scheme al
ready twice indorSed by the House of Rep
reSentatives.
The main objection he had heard to the
organization proposed was to the alleged
preponderating influence of the cavalry.
Tllis he sad, necessary, because OF
the effectiveness of cavalry In operations In
the Philippines In concluding his state
ment MIR. Hull ridicued the charges made
during the recent campaign by the opposi-
ton to the effect that the republican party
desired to fost upon the country great
standing army.
Treatment of Volunteer Officers.
Mr.. Hepburn Uowa) asked what provision
the bill made for the transfer of volunteer
officers to the regular army.
Mr.. Hull replied that in the staff volun-
teer officers could be appointed to the regu-
lar army without regard to age or grade.
but in the line volunteer officers could not
be appointed above the grade of first lieu-
tenant, and then only when below the age
of thirty.
Mr.. Hepburn asked il Mr.. Hull would OBJ
ject to an amendment providing that
cancies below the grade Of colonel could be
filled from the list OF volunteer officers. and
it to be the purpose of the act 70
place volunteer officers commissioned since
April 10. 1898, upon the same footing with
officers of the regular army.
II should say" responded Mr.. Hull. ITO
appoint volunteer officers to the grade OF
major would do a great injustice To reEu-
lar army officers who have served twenty
or twenty-five years in the army"
Opposed to a Large Standing Army.
Mr.. Cochran (Mo), who followed Mr.. Hull,
introduced the political phase of the ques-
ton. He charged that the avowed purpose
Of the administration to use army of
6o,eGD to enforce its mandates in the Phi.
ippines was the very essence of imperial
ism. He declared it to be his opinion that
no army that marched on the face of the
earth could accomplish the subjection OF
the Philippines. Their geographical posi-