The news & observer., 1901-01-13
Objection to Presidents Power to Re-
gulate the Army
We MARCH TOWARD EMPIRE, SAYS BACON
Senator Daniels Amendment Providing For the
Appointment Of Volunteer officers 10
Captaincies in Regular Army
is Agreed To.
By tne Associated Press.)

day passed the House bin apportioning
the representatives of the United States
among the several States. 1t now only
awaits the Presidents signature 1t
was passed without debate and pre-
cisely as it came from the House.
A vigorous attack was made upon
that portion of the Army Re-organiza-
tion bill which confers upon the Presi-
dent discretionary power to increase the
strength of the army to the maximum
limit fixed by the bill Mr.. Bacon, of
Georgia, began the attack, and Mr..
Platt, of Connecticut, replying main
tained that discretionary powers ought
to be conferred upon the President and
expressed astonishment that anybody
should fear abuse OF power AT the
opening the House Apportionment Bill
was reported favorably by the Census
Committee, but the measure went over
ON objection of Mr.. Pettus (Ala)
Consideration was then resumed of
the Army Re organization Bill. Mr..
Hawley, Chairman of the Committee
on Military Affairs, withdrew the COM
mittee amendment, sectien 81 of the
new bill-providing for the retirement
Of officers on the active list of the
army.
Mr.. Teller then also withdrew his
amendment TO that section.
Mr. Hoar (Mass.) formally offered
the amendment of which he had hereto
fore given notice providing that no fur
ther military force shall be used in the
Philippine Islands except such as may
be necessary to keep order in places
in the peaceable possession of the
United States, etc 1t was laid on the
table 90 to 19, on motion of Mr.. Car
ter (Mont) The vote on the motion
follows:
'Yeas-Allison, Bard, Burrows. Carter,
Clark, Deboe, Dolliver, Fairbanks, Fora
kor Foster, Frye, Gallinger, Hanna,
Hansbrough, Hawley, Kean, Lodge Nc
Comas. McCumber, Mcmillan, Morgan,
Nelson. Perkins. Platt Comb Proctor.
Scott Sewell, Shoup, Simon, Spooner,
Stewart Thurston-32.
Nays-Allen, Bate. Berry, Butler. Clay,
Cockrell. Daniel, Hale, Harris, Hoar.
Jones (Ark.D, Mallory, Pettigrew, Pettus,
Rawlins, Teller, Towne, Turley, Yelling
ton--19.
Mr.. Pettigrew's amendment providing
that cne- third of the appointment TO COM
missioncd rank in the regular army
should be made from officers of the
volunteer army was defeated, 33 to 1e..
Mr.. Daniel (Va), offered an amend
ment providing that volunteer officers
may be designated for examination and
those who establish their fitness may be
appointed to the grade of captain in the
regular army as we'll as to the grade
of first and second lieutenant as provided
..4. \
ment Mr. Daniel addressed the Senate
at length in support of his amendment
without desiring to discriminate against
the regular officers, he said he felt it
due Jhe volunteer officers that they
SHOULD have proper opportunity for al
vancement. He maintained that the vol
unteers ought to have as generous con-
sideration as Congress could give them
without of course, disparaging thereby
the officers of the regular army.
Mr. Proctor (Va.), replied that unfor
tunately the United States had no sys-
tenn whereby an officer or enlisted man
in the regular army could be rewarded
for gallant or conspicuous services by
promotion. He believed that the pro-
posed amendment would operate as q
great injustice to scores Of regular Off
2i to %.
Mr.. Bacon (Ga), moved to strike out
the provision that the President in his
discretion may increase the number O.
corporals in any troop of cavalry to eight
and the number of privates to ~.
Mr. Bacon contended that this was one
of the paragraphs that conferred upo1
the President discretionary power to
MIR. Platt Comm, said he had none
of the doubt or fear of trouble thai
seemed to worry some Senators as to the
increase Of the army to 100000 men
Such an army could do the country nc
harm.
Mr.. Platt said he feared the pendins
bill did not confer upon the President
authority to increase the army from 5S,
000 to 100 600 at any time. That power
he thought ought to be conferred upon
the President. The President ought tc
be regarded as a conscientious, able and
patriotic man.
Mr.. Bacon replied that he thought the
country had fallen upon an evil
day when a Senator could rise
in this chamber and express
views which he regarded as dan
gerous to the liberties of the people and
productive of one man power and it was
an evil day truly when that Senator re-
fected the attitude of the dominant party.
''The passage of this bill, declared the
Georgia Senator. will mark an epoch
in the United States. Senators may scoff
but it is nevertheless true that the pass
age of bill by which the President shall
control the size of the army is march
toward empire. 1t is the evident purpose
of this bill to eliminate for all time the
volunteer system from the military estab
lishment of the country and create for ali
time great standing army. The issue
is not to be evaded. Shall it be in future
the province of the President to raise
armies, or shall that be the province of
Congress?
Il would rather see my party con-
demned to universal and never end