The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-06

of the cavalry. This, he said, was nee
| essary because of the effectiveness of
cavalry in operations in the Philip
pines. Mr.. Hull ridiculed the charges
made during the recent campaign by
the opposition to the effect that the
Republican party desired to foist upon
the country q great standing army.
Replying 10 Mr.. Hepburn Iowa), Mr..
Hull said that to- appoint volunteer
officers to the grade of major would
do a great injustice to regular army
officers who had served 20 or 25 years
in the army.
ESSENCE OF IMPERIALISM.
Mr.. Cochran (Mo.), who followed Mr..
Hull introduced the political phase of
the question. He charged that the
avowed purpose of the Administration
mandates in the Philippines, was the
very essence of Imperialism. No army
that marched on the face of the earth
could accomplish the subjection of the
Philippines. Their geographical posi-
ton made them practically independ-
ent of outside control.
Mr.. Kleberg (Texas), announced his
unalterable opposition to an increase
of the standing army. It's only use
could be the establishment of mill
tary government in the Philippines,
and he appealed to his colleagues to
stand unfiinchingly against the sub
version of the Constitution.
Mr.. Shafroth (Colo.), offered some
figures to show that the retention of
the Philippines, for which this pro-
posed large increase in the standing
army was to be made, must prove a
disastrous investment. He stated that
it would cost the people of the United
States $60,000,000 a year to earn $780,
900 for American manufacturers and
exporters.
The sensation of the day occurred
when Mr.. Shafroth took his seat. Mr.
Hull in charge of the time on the Re
publican side, stated that no one on
his side desired to speak further.
Thereupon Mr.. Sulzer who had charge
of the time on the Democratic side
yielded an hour to Mr.. Mccall (Rep.,
Mass.) This was the first intimation
| the House had that the Massachusetts
member was to oppose the bill.
Mr.. INGALLS, ARUMENT.
Mr.. Mccall declared that he did not
believe in the principle of giving the
Executive discretion to multiply al
most by two the regular army, al
though President Mckinley would
doubtless exercise that discretion pa
triotically and wisely. The objection
was one of principle. Such a grant
of power could not be paraleled i'm
the constitutional monarchies 1t was
not conferred with any limitation as
/ to time. The Government should have
| declared at the outset a policy in the
! Philippines similar to that declared
| in Cuba. Our system of government
was manifestly unfit for a colonial pol
| icy, and that proposition had been so
| frequently discussed that he would
consider the practical question wheth-
er it was for our interest to remain
in the Philippines. There was no com
munity of interest between the people
of those islands and the United States
and they were almost as far as the
poles asunder. No advocate of re-
tanning the Philippines had been daI-
| ing enough to maintain that they
should be a part of our political sys-
tenn. In fact the great argument in fa-
vor of the principle of the Porto Rico
tariff was that if we could not apply
that principle to Porto Rico we could
not retain the Philippines.
| Upon what theory, he asked, are we
to remain in that country?
| The French army costs $125,000,000
year; the German $130,000,O00, the
British $100,000,000 and the Russian
$153, 100000 These figures include
pensions and fortifications If this
bill passes the War Department will
need 100000. There is another
cost not included in these figures,
which is a necessary incident to an
| army and as much a part of its cost
as the pay of the soldiers That is the
pension system. We are appropria~
| ting for that purpose $145,000,000 a
year. Our total charges therefore, for
military purposes are $260,000,000 per
year, an amount greater than the joint
military expenses of those two armed
| ricals, France and Germany.
| In conclusion Mr.. Mccall pleaded
that in dealing with the Philippines
we pursue the American precedents
and said:
The time has come when we frank
ly declare our purposes. Let us give
! these people those assurances which
our history inspires. Let us tell them
that we will aid them for one year or
for five if need be in setting up a gov
| ernm6nU OF unelf own, SymbOliZed Dy
their own flag, and we will leave them
all that is most glorious in the mean
ing of another flag, liberty. independ-
ence and self-government."
When Mr. Mccall finished the DEM
| ocrats applauded him vigorously.
! Mr.. Cox (Tenn.), a member of the
Military Committee, spoke against the
general principle of increasing the
size of the permanent army.
| IN THE PHILIPPINES TO STAY.
Mr.. Hull declared that Mr. Mccall
had misapprehended the purpose of
! the bill The President under the
| treaty of Paris must assert the sover-
eighty of the United States over the
Philippine Islands. The people of the
United States must decide how long
our authority there shall exist. Per-
sonally, he believed that cur sover-
eighty over the Philippines would con-
tinue as long as the Republic endured.
Honestly, now,' asked Mr.. Will
liams, independently of the Philip
pine question, do you not want per
manent army of 10000 men for other