The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-12-07
WILMINGTON, N. c., FRIDAY, DECEMBER z, 1900

last session viii displace the army bill.
which Will go over until Friday
When the house met. the speaker
announced that he had a communica-
ton from the family of Mr. Boutelle.
Of Maine. resigning his position as
chairman OF the committee on naval
affairs He also announced the appoint
ment or Mr.. Shaw. OF New York. as a
member Of the committee on invalid
pensions. Mr.. Dalzell. of Pennsylvania,
from the committee on rules. then pre-
sented the special order for the consid-
Grafton of the army bin.
Mr.. Richardson. of Tennessee. on be-
half OF the minority. said those on his
side or the house recognized the neces-
sity for some legislation, but they did
not agree that this bill, establishing a
permanent standing army. should be-
come a law If an emergency exists
an emergency should be provided for.
and a large standing army should not
be established. One obnoxious feature
was fundamental. 1t was proposed to
provide an army which could be ex-
panded at the will of one man from S.
600 to 100000. No matter how good or
able that man might be he was not
willing to see one man given such DOW
er. 1t was in his opinion abdicating
the functions of congress.
Mr.. Underwood, of Alabama also In
weighed against clothing the president
| with discretionary power to expand or
contract the army at will.
Mr.. Grosvenor of Ohio. in support OF
the resolution said that personally he
was in favor of standing army of 100.-
600 men, The people. he said. We're not
alarmed by the cries that their liberty
was to be subverted.
Mr.. Grosvenor and Mr.. Underwood in
dulged in some sharp cross firing af-
ter which the resolution was adopted
without division.
Mr.. Hull suggested that the oleomar-
gerine bill, which was a special order
for tomorrow. be postponed until the
army bill was disposed of, but Mr.. Un-
| derwood. of Alabama. objected.
The house then went into committee
| of the whole and took up the conSidera-
| ton of the armv bill. Mr.. Hull explain
| ed the details of the bill. which he said
| followed practically the scheme already
| twice endorsed by the house.
| MIR. Cochran. of Missouri, who follow
ed Mr. Hull, introduced the political
| phase of the question. He charged
| that the aVowed purpose of the admin
| istration to use an army of 10000 to
| enforce it's mandates in THE Philippines
was the essence Of Imperialism. No
army that marched on the face of the
earth could accomplish the subsection
Of the Philippines. Their geographical
| position made them practically inde-
pendent of outside control.
| Mr.. Kleberg of Texas, announced
his unalterable opposition to an in
| crease of the standing army. It's only
| use could be the establishment of a
military government in the PHILIPPINES
! and he appealed to his colleagues TO
| stand Lnflinchingly against the subver-
sion of the constitution.
Mr.. Shafroth. of Colorado. offered
CHI hot
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 UniteG
States $50, 100000 a year to earn S135.-
600 for American manufacturers and ex-
porters.
The sensation of the day occurred
| when Mr.. Shafroth lcok his seat. Mr.
| Hull. in charge of the time of the re-
| publican side, stated that no one on his
side desired to speak further. Their
| upon Mr.. Sulzer VINO had charge OF the
time on the democratic side, Welded an
hour to MIR. Mccall. republican, of Mas
sachusetts. This was the first intima-
ton the house had that the MaSsachu-
setts member was to oppose the bill.
Mr. Mccall declared that he did no
believe in the principle of giving tn
| executive discretion to multiply almos
President Mckinley would doubtless
| exercise that discretion patriotically
and wisely. The objection was one O.
| principle. Such grant of power coul(
not be paralleled in the constitutions
| monarchies. 1t was not conferred will
any limitation as to time.
In conclusion Mr.. Mccall pleaded
| that in dealing with the Philippines W.
| pursue the American precedents ant
| said:
"The time has come WREN we cal
frankly declare our purposes. Let Vi
give those people those assurances
| which our history inspires. Let us tel
them that we will aid them for on
year or five, of need be, in setting UP Z
government of their own, symboliZet
by their own flag, liberty, independ
ence and self f-government."
When Mr.. Mccall finished the demo
Gratis applauded him vigorously.
| General debate was then closed an,
the bill was read for amendment unde
the five minute rule.
The paragraphs authorizing the sec
retary of war to prescribe regulation
as to fitness of volunteers or civilian
appointed to the regular army unde
the terms of the bill We're stricken out
Mr.. Hepburn offered the following
amendment:
Provided that any vacancy in tn
quartermaster's department may b
filled by appointment from civil life" !"
Mr.. Hepburn made this amendmen
the basis of some severe criticism o
the Shafter expedition before Santiago
which might have been obviated
competent men from civil life had beer
in charge.
Without action upon the amendment
the committee rose and the house a
500 p. m. adjourned
|