The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-29
EXPENSES OF THE ARMY
Third Days Debate on the ApprO
priatiOn Bill in the House.
Discussion over Alleged Extrnva-
Ennce in Fitting Up Transport
Probable Corruption suggested
The Conference Report on the Last
Urgent Deficiency Bill Agreed To.

quite discussion Of the transport service
by charging upon the authority of a news
paper article. extravaganza in the fur
nishing and fitting up of the transport
Summer.
The service was defended by Messrs.
Hull of Iowa, in charge of the bill, and
Cannon of Illinois. Mr.. Wheeler of Ken
tucky expressed the opinion that the man
who was conducting the war in the Phil
ippines without the authority Of Congress
ought to be impeached, and Mr.. Cochrane
Of Missouri said that the fact that $3.50,
600 600 was spent in the Spanish war was
proof positive of extravaganza, improvi-
dence. and probably of corruption among
officials in high places. The expression in
the bill islands in the possession or under
the control of the United States" was
changed to read: Cuba. Porto Rico the
Philippines, and Hawaii" Seventeen Of
the thirty pages of the bill had been dis
posed Of when the House adjourned.
Before entering upon the consideration
of the Army bill. the House passed Senate
bill to ratify an agreement made between
the Otoe and Missouri Indians of Okla
homa and the purchasers of their old
reservation in Nebraska, which has been
hanging for seventeen years.
Mr. Flynn. in whose district the Indians
now reside, explained that in 1888, their
old settlement in Nebraska was sold at
public auction, and that transaction, he
said, was the most scaud3lous ever known
in the history OF the Land Office.
All Of the officials at the sale except the
Commissioner of the Land Office had been
sent to the penitentiary.
The lands were appraised at $256, 0O0 but
the bidding under the assertions of the
land office officials. who said that il did
not make any difference how much they
bid. they could get the land at the ap-
praised price. went up to a total of $5l6,OOo.
When the bidders found they could not
get the land at the appraised price they
refused to pay.
The bill was debated by Messrs. Lacey,
Flynn, Calderhead, Mondell Mercer. and
Fitzgerald, and was passed by vote of
104 to Is. -..
Mr.. Barry of Wisconsin presented the
conference report on the bill making ap-
preparation for pensions for the year end
ing June 80, 1901, and it was agreed to.
The Army Bill.
The House in Committee of the Whole
then proceeded with the consideration OF
the Army Appropriation bill.
Mr.. Mcclellan OF New York presented
some figures to show by comparison the
cost OF maintaining the military establish
ment Of the United States and these Of
other countries He had found in the sew
eral appropriation bills for the current
year items for the military account
amounting to Sl35, ,29I I653. This was an
average of 1.502 per man of the 10000
now in the army. II to this total was
added the expenditure on account Of the
war Of rebellion and other wars. the to-
tai for the current year would be S29l,
5S9 342. Austria Hungary with an army
of 354 600 on a peace footing expended
$50 900 600; England with an army CT
l5U. 000. expended SSg 900 900. France with
an army Of 539 600, expended Sl25.0o 600,
Germany. with an army Of 5gSO00, eE-
pended Sl36 600 600. Italy. with an army
Of I0l 600. expended $23 600. 0o0. He sub
mitted the figures FOR the information Of
the House without comment expressing
no opinion az t1 whether the United
STATES .lgaat.taT.. aeru large OF small.
Nr f. zE-rF.i u. Sew York unerei on
uelIrs.r .1 pas N.tfr- 0r other h-lr7
: Na-.
truB alu asE. H... -Esn Ila Hraf ~
MAY f,as faa u.u.a. extra qIy. thus
lH.lua -heu .a a. Jewel Hrl -lr widows
I heirs af volunteers De- went 1uf 1u
"a Iol.t .f order mode H. Alr HuIl Tie
paragraph authorizing rhr Secretary ot
ty.r o. employ ana tsHgu -ts clerks and
M.sssUErrs iu bic department who have
trsa carried flg nearly rNo years was
amen fei so as go restrict bis authority 20
a-slgatuE chem f1 their Duties This
VIII rat that number af employees under
the Civil Service Commission.
Mr MeEae OF Arkansas made point OF
order against the prJviso that additional
veterinary surgeons provided for tn the
hI iren az $500 EACH should be- graduates
from a recognized veterinary college and
If went out
New Methods Proposed
Mr. Esch Of Wisconsin offered an amend
mend which he said he was authorized TO
DO by the Committee on Military Affairs.
proposing an entirely new method Of pay
ing for travel Of officers and men. Il per
mitted eommutatien in whole or in part
Of any journey al : cents mile, officers
and men alike; but travel TO- from. or be
tween our insuIar possessions in the At
lanur and Pacific was not to be commuted
Il also reduced the appropriation for
travel allowance to enlisted men from
three 10 Two millions.
Mr. Marsh Of Illinois. second member Of
the committee made a point OF order
against il and il was ruled out.
The paragraph authorizing the Increase
OF 20 per cent Of the pay OF officers and
men serving in the islands in possession /
OF under the control of the United States
was amended on motion of Mr. Hay of Nir-
giuia so as to read. Serving in Cuba.
Porto Rico. or the Philippine Islands" In
with the discussion Of the
items for the Quartermaster Generals
Office Mr. briggs had read a newspaper
article describing the gOrgeousness with .
which the transport sumner had been fit /
ted up. at an alleged expense Of $3.50 900. [
and vigorously criticised the policy which /
permitted this to be done, when soldiers. /
during the war with Spain, were carried /
10 and from their destinations in vessels /
that We're a disgrace to the service
Responding to Mr.. briggs Mr. Hull said I
hat the criticism upon the transport serv- /
cp Of the Government had not come from
he soldiers. but il had been left TO the I
men who did not 90 into the service Now
hey were charging that the soldiers were
being treated too well Continuing. MI
TuIl said that when the war broke out th. I
Government had to take he best ships it .
.0uld find for transports and Jheir coudi- |
ion justified some Of the criticisms regard /
ug them But now the Government had
organized the best transport service i'm the |
world The ships had been fitted up. not .
.xtravagautIy. but well.
Mr.. briggs said he complained only
Igainst the extravagaut features of the /
transport. IN a time OF war he would vote
or every dollar and every man asked fo-
~ the President, but after war had been
.nded he said he would be recreaut TO the
rust reposed in him by his constitu-nts If
le did not declaim against eXLravagance IN