The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-11-28
Mckinley Demands
a Big Army.
Other Schemes the Republl-
cans are Hatching.

ClSS u iolt uuuOuC, uulIy WILL VIZ
army BILL" That is the sum and
substance of what Mr. Mckinley says
to every prominent republican sena
tor and representative who goes tc
the white house. The reason be
wishes the Legislation for the increase
of the army hurried is that be has
received hat that the decision Of
the United States supreme court will
be against the coustitutionsiity Of
the Porto Rico act, which would
mean that the United States would
have to refinquish ownership of the
Philippines, and would consequently
have no use for large standing
army he wishes TO get the big
army provided for before the court
hands down ite decision, and it will
not be Surprising if the attorney
general so manipuIates the case as to
prevent it's conclusion until after the
end of this congress, as Mr. McKin
ley might prefer not having congress
in session should the decision be
averse. This story sounds incredu
lous. but it is being seriously talked
about in political circles, and there
have been other cases in which
administrations have been given ad-
vance hints of important decisions OF
the supreme court. Any member of
the court can usually make pretty
nearly correct guess of how his
colleagues will stand upon important
decisions from their talk in q general
way to each other. Whether the
whole story is correct or not, it is
absolutely certain that Mr Mckinley
is plainly showing his anxiety of the
speedy passage by congress of the
army bill
The Isthmian Canal commission
has handed Mr. Mckinley its prelimi.
nary report. As expected it favors
the Nicaragua route for the canal.
The Panama company's lobbyists are
moving Heaven and earth to prevent
legislation by congress in favor of
the Nicaragua canal
According to Reprepresentative
Hull, chairman of the house commit
tee on military affairs. which is DOW
trying to put together an army bill
that will be supported by all the
republicans. many of whom have
publicly expressed widely differing
opinions of what the bill should pro
vide for, especially as TO the number
of men, the volunteers in ths Philip
pines will no. be brought home until
regulars, enlisted uuder the bill not
even yet written, can be sent to sake
their places At least, that is fair
construction to place upon Mr., HulPs
own words-'.The army now in the
Philippines will have to be brought
home in the summer, that is, those of
the men who do not care to reenliet.
The transports which go out for them
shouid depart laden with the troops
who are to replace them
Representative Champ Clark, of
Missouri, returned to Washington
feeling as chippy as usual He said !:
Il am not downcast or discouraged
hv the licking We got. The most
unpleasant feature is i. will take us
six or eight years to get the senate
As to the proposition to reorganlze
the democratic party. it is fact in
na,ural history that the tail cannot
wag the dog aud the same is true
in politics The party does not need
recognizing to begin with 1t is
thoroughly organized, and even if it
were to be reorganized. it would not
be from the outside. We want
everybody to come in that feels like
helping %, but we have a perfect
organization of our own /" Of the
probable work Of this session of
congress Mr. Clark said Il think
this will be an extremely busy ses-
sion. The main thing the republicans
will do will be to ratify the Hay
Pauncefoto treaty and pass a Mica
rsgua canal bill, in accordance with
it, aud to psyss Mark Hanna's ship
subsidy bill If the supreme court
decides the Porto Ricsn act unconstl-
tu,ional, then the republicans will
run races with us as to which will
drop the Philippines first But if it
is decided to be constitutional, then
this session Of congress will have to
pass some kind of bill for the gov
ernment aud control of the islands
This, with the routine measures and
the new appointments under the last
census will make it an exceedingly
busy session -
The reception of the proposition
advanced by the radical republicans
10 reduce the representation of the
southern states which have restricted
negro suffrage, has been of suct
general condemnation that it has