The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-03
DEBATING THE ARMY BILL.
senator Turner's PIen on Behalf q
Discharged Volunteers

Il
4 Discharged Volunteers.
Consideration OF the Army Appropriation
bill was continued by the Senate yester-
/ day afternoon. Senator Hawley Of C1nnecti-
/ cut called up the bill and Senator Tiuman
asked that several war claims te Included
in the apprcpriations This was objected
to. Senator Turner OF Washington onerei
an amendment providing that officers and
soldiers who continued In service In tie
/ Philippine Islands after the expiration OF
their term. and who were afterward trans
ported to the United States. shall be err
titled to travel pay and to Communication OF
I subsistence. minus the actual cost TO ire
/ Government OF their transportation and
[ subsistence.
! He stated that these men did not num-
1 Der more than 1o0C0 and come from every
/ State in the Union. and on being dis
charged were entitled to travel pay TIE
law had been charged he stated. and tie
men we're not discharged at Manila, but
, brought to the United States and here
| discharged. thus depriying them OF travel
pay.
The men who remained for a year n
TO their discharge. have not been given
this pay, but we're packed like a lot Of
swine in the holds Of dirty rotten, sinking
old tubs at the expense Of the Government.
These troops ought 10 get double pay for
the manner in which they were brought
home"
The Secretary OF War. he said. had been
imposed upon by some body. when he sug-
gested that the proposition would require
If < III
tion would make the amount about one ard
a half million dollars. But even II II did
take 1900 600. had not the Cubans re-
ceived s., 000 0O0 for a lot OF rusty Old
guns and had not s.. 0o0. 600 been given the
Porto Ricans for roads and schoolsg And
were the broken frames and ruined health
Of 1000 American soldiers. who had given
all to their country. less entitled TO the
grateful consideration Of a great and rich
Government? In their behalf he appealed
to the Senate's sense Of justice. and he ap-
pealed particular to the Chairman Of the
Committee en- Military Affairs (Mr Haw-
ley) as an old patriot of 1851. to do JUS
tice to the patriots OF 1898.
Mr. HawIey remarked that the Govern
ment had paid him all that he was entitled
to. and he made a point Of order against
listing laws
The Presiding omcer sustained the point
of order.
Mr. Rawlins of Utah pointed ont the
distinction made in the treatment OF the
Aston Battery and that Of a Utah battery.
and declared that the distinction against
the Utah battery was an outrage and wrong
which no man loving justice would con-
sciously be guilty Of Mr. Pettigrew made
a similar charge as to the treatment OF a
South Dakota regiment. He sent to the
Clerks desk and had read numerous COM
munieations from officers and men OF the
First South Dakota Regiment complain
ing Of having been kept in the Philippine
Islands against their will after their terms
Of service had expired Some Of them we're
very bitter in their expressions against the
President and General Otis. Among the
letters produced and read was one from Mr.
Pettigrew himself to the President dated
April IL 1899 in which he said
Il feel that the blood Of the South Da-
kota boys sacrificed in that contest must
be laid at the door Of your Administration
and that impartial history must place you
among the most dishonored rulers in all
time. Your effort to subjugate these peo-
pie by force is the international crime Of
the century; in fact. must be elassed
among the greatest Of all international
crimes Of all centuries"
The action of the Army officers in these
matters was upheld by Senators Foraker.
Proctor. and Nelson. The latter said that
II the volunteers from South Dakota had
heard the remark of their Senator today.
that they were required to fight in an IN
holy war they would have resented it as
an attack on their loyalty.
Mr.. Pettigrew replied angrily to this re-
mark. and scOffed at Mr.. Nelson for boast
ing last week that he was Scandinavian
a man of the race which had fought under
Gustavus Adolphus-and for boasting yes
terday that he had been a soldier and
patriot during the civil var.
Without finishing his speech Mr.. Petit
grew yielded the floor and the bill went
over.