The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-27
Discussed IN TIE House
The Army Appropriation Bill Under
Consideration.
Its Pre- isi"us Explained by Mr.. Hull
al the Committee on Military Af-
faira-Nr. Mcclellan Criticises sbe
Root PropOsition-A Demand for
N Reduction of War Expenses.

After rsssing 123 private pension aillS
in sixty-two minutes the House of Repre-
sentatlyes yesterday, in Committee Of the
| Whole, entered upon the discussion of the
Army Approp.iati bill. No agreement
| was made to close the debate but in the
Committee on Military Affairs arrange
ment lad been made to continue it until
2:30 o'clock Wednesday afternoon. But
| that could not be carried out in full be-
cause there were not enough Republicans
desiring to be heard to occupy half the
| time.
Mr.. Hull OF Iowa. Chairman of the COM
! mittee reporting the bill, explained its
provisions, and the rest OF the afternoon
was spent in debate by the minority. Mr.
| Mcclellan of New York spoke in favor of
| his bill to reorganize the Army, and Mr..
| Clayton of New York in favor of the reor-
ganization of the post at Fort Hamilton,
| n. Y. Among the other speakers were
Messrs. Jett of Illinois. Ridgely of Kansas,
| Cox OF Tennessee, Atwater of North Caro-
| lima, and briggs of New York. The bill
| carries s11l, ,600.354. decrease from the es-
| Inmates of $16.671, ,799.
Mr.. Jett thought the measure would be
|
appropriate enough money. He said there
was no material opposition to the bill and
complained that too many officers were
being retired. He pointed to the case of
General Eagan, who was not retired, but
who was suspended on full pay.
Mr.. Parker of New Jersey called Mr..
Jett'S attention to the fact that all the Of
ficers mentioned by him had served in the
civil war.
Mr.. Jett did not intend to criticise the
officers themselves, he said, but he thought
that having gone into the Army they
should accept uncomplainingly the usual
incidents of the service without asking to
be retired ct a higher rate of pay than that
TO which they were entitled. He was surc
the people did not desire and would not ap-
prove this expenditure of money.
In Favor of REORGANIZATION.
Mr. Mcclellan of New York followed in a
speech favoring the reorganization Of the
Army He said in part: THE Regular
Army is too often looked upon as mere
machine and chattel for the Government
that should be kept as much as possible
out of sight until actual necessity occurs
for its use. The United States Ni-yy is by
far more popular and closer to the affec-
tions of the people. Gentlemen with very
few exceptions are all agreed on the neces-
d
army of some sort and of some size in time
of peace, but gentlemen differ as to the
sort and size of the standing army.
Il do not favor a large standing army
in time of peace. | do not believe in gov
eminent by injunction, nor do | believe IN
using United States troops for police duty,
which can be performed as well by the or
ganized militia of the several States, but
do believe in the maintenance OF a stand
ir,rr i,,a ,f lar oh
and no larger, to be expanded in time Of
war to make a first line of defence. strong
enough to hold OFF a foreign enemy until
the volunteers can be organized TO con-
stitute the Second line. Our Army can only
be nucleus. but nucleus sufficiently
elastic and sufficiently mobile to permit
of automatic expansion"
Mr.. Mcclellan then discussed in de-
tail the bill recently sent to both houses
of Congress by the Secretary OF War and
the bill introduced by himself. In discuss
ing the Root bill he said;
when / first glanced over it it struck
me as being most excellent, but l regret |
20 say that the oftener | read il ard the
more 1 study it the less | like it; so that 1
am now convinced that unless it is radically I
amended and almost recast its passage |
would make conditions, already bad even
worse. We know that favoritism has
greatly injured the efficiency of our ser
vice. This bill Will make matters inf
nitely worse, for its benefits will not |
only be confined exclusively to the officers |
of volunteer regiments, but it will put |
into the hands of the President a power |
over the administration of the War De- !
partment over promotions, transfers. and |
in the United States Army |
second only to that at present held by |
the German Emperor
In bp o pf owl
which provides a small standing army |
capable of being almost trebled in size in
the event Of war. as follows:
1T has been my purpose in drafting this /
bill to suggest a method by which our /
Army may be made efficient and by which !
1t may be brought closer to the people. 1
trust that have not unduly imposed upon
the good nature OF the House in my fire.
queut speeches on reorganization. but,
Mr. Chairman, it is a subject very near
my heart. for | am a soldiers son. and
1t is one that. in my judgment. is of such
vast, such overwhelming Importance, that
ii is the duty of every man. of every
American who. by inclination or by acci-
dent. may know little more of the sub
ject than his fellows to spare no effort
and to spare no work, to write and to
speak day after day and year after year
in the hope that sooner or later the in
4
to force Congress from its lethargy
into activity in Army matters. If any
feeble effort of mine; if any words that
may have spoken will sooner or later
help in the accomplishment of my pur-
pose. | shall feel that my work has not
been in vain
Mr. Mcclellan was followed by Mr.. Clay
ION of New York in an argument favoring
The reconstruction of the military works
Tarly
MIR. RidGeIy's Argument.
Mr. Ridgely of Kansas addressed him
self TO the general tendency toward the
Increase OF a standing army. The United
States. he said, was going on in the path
pursued by other nations and because of
he Capitalization of wealth and control
If industry the demand was made that
he Army 81 ould be increased in order to
protect them in possession of their prop
,rty. On many streets il our large cities.
said Mr. Ridgely. could be seen arsenals
With port holes in their walls Was it ex-
pected that some foreign foe would sud
ienly invade the country and marchips
lown the streets, receive the fire from
.fiu1e arsenals? Not at all. said Mr.
they were constructed N antici-
lation of the time when the people of this
'ountry discontinued and turbulent under
conditions that were intensified by unwise
egislation in Congress. should be march
ng up those streets.
Mr. Cox Of Tennessee. a member of the
Committee on Military Affairs, expressed
he opinion that the presence of soldiers
n the Philippines was not only violation
If the Constitution b.. of the first law
the President to call troops
Trouble