The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-17
An AGREEMENT TO Vote
The Army Bill TO Be Disposed of
Tomorrow Afternoon.
Nearly Five Hours Devoted to De-
bate Yesterday-Nr. Allen Attacks
the Constitufiona1ity of the Meas
ure-Thc Practice of Hnzing mt the
West Point Academy Denounced.

West Point Academy Denounced
The Senate yesterday devoted nearly five
hours 10 the further consideration of the
Army Reorganization bill, and it was
agreed that a vote shall be taken at 4
O'Clock tomorrow afternoon. Messrs AL
len, McCumber and Teller made long
speeches, and the hazing at West Point
was made feature of the debate.
Mr.. Hawley called up the bill at 70: 80
o'clock, and Mr.. Allen was Immediately
recognized. He yielded to Mr. Teller, who
moved that the following section be
stricken from the bill:
THAT when in the opinion of the Pres
ident the interests of the service will be
benefited thereby he is empowered to
place upon the retired list, by executive
order, any officer who has been suspended
from duty, either by sentence of court
martial or by virtue of an executive or
der in mitigation of such sentence. for
a period extending TO or within one year
OF the time Of his compulsory retirement
for age"
The motion was agreed to.
Mr.. Carter then asked unanimous con-
sent that a vote be taken on the bill at
4 O'Clock this afternoon.
Mr.. Allen objected and proceeded to talk
against the measure. He said that the
bill was wrong in everything and should
never become law.
Il can see no necessity whatever for the
passage of this BILL" said he. why
should the war on the Fflipinos be con-
tinued? The Philippine Islands must be
as much part of the United States as the
District Of Columbia or they are not part
of the Union. There can be no middle
ground. When the treaty was ratified it
was promised that the Filipinos would be
aided to set up a government of their own
as in Cuba.
Since then the whole policy of the Ad-
ministration has changed and We are try
ing to keep them from enjoying the same
government We have.
There is namby- pamby style en- the
Republican side of styling every Senator
who says a word for the Filipinos as a
traitor.
Now, there can be no traitors among
a people who owe no allegiance to this
Government. They are foreigners and
may be insurgents but not rebels.
He then took up the question of the
constitutionality of the bill and read from
the Constitution itself to show that the
contention made by Mr. Bacon Tuesday
was absolutely correct.
Congress cannot delegate its powers
TO the Executive any more than the Ex-
ecutive can delegate his powers to Con-
gress," said Mr.. Allen. Under this bill
II is the President who raises this army
and not Congress-
Mr.. Pettus stated that the power dele
gated to the President to raise an army
was a very dangerous one and one which
should be carefully guarded
at is left to the President to determine
the exigency which will require the
raising of an army said Mr. Allen land
this is an abrogation of the powers of
Congress. This army is to be used to
slaughter Asiatics and / don't believe the
trainers OF the Constitution ever thought
that an army would be raised to leave the
boundaries of this country for an agrees
siye and oppressive war. There is no pre-
cedent for this case in our history. II
has been cited that the Mexican war was
q precedent. The Mexican war was a
defensive war and when our troops enter
ed that country II was not for the purpose
OF conquest.
81 am opposed to putting an instrument
into the hands OF the President to strike
these people down. This is the sole pur-
pose of the bill.
LET us give these F1lipinos their free
dom, as was promised by the President
over the archipelago. but let the people
go free. We have even denied their petit
ton and those who wished the petition
received were denounced. If the Filipinos
are citizens Of this country they have a
right to petition-if not, they need not
petition.
LET us examine some of the men who
are under this bill to provide the material
for the army Of the future. Look at the
mil
tary education like a sponge, and COM
pare them with the volunteer officers who
have worked into the Regular Army. Look
at Miles and Corbin and Funston and 9TH
ers and compare them with the results
obtained from the aristocracy of West
Point. The American Army should come
from the stiff joints of the American la
borer.
Look at this investigation that is go
ing on now. This thing called hazing.
Why, the prize fighter is a gentleman,
the bull-baiter is a gentleman, when com
pared with the cadets at West Point.
This hazing takes place within the
knowledge Of the officers of that institu-
ton"
IF l were a boy at West Point and
they hazed me- said Mr.. Money, Il
would kill those who tried it,
so would T. said Mr.. Allen.
ment favoring the bill.
He read from the Presidents last mes
sage TO Congress and compared the
statements with those made by Mr..
Teller.
Il find two defects in the BILL" he
said "One is that the minimum fixed is
too large for time Of peace, and the
maximum is too small to end the war in
the Philippines. / believe that more en-
couragement should be given to the
State militia which must form our peace
army /, with the Democratic Senators,
have faith in the volunteer soldier and
believe in him.
las to the bazing Of cadets at West
Point I can only say that this practice
creates the worst kind OF brutality and
the worst kind OF cowardice. Congress
should take some speedy action and weed
out the DULLES and dismiss them in dis
grace"
Mr.. Teller said that he had read the
Presidents message carefully. He knew
that there WIS al absolute government in
the Philippines and the municipal gov
ernments there nov are mere farces.
IF any may think this kind Of govern
ment is free government he is in need
Of instruction" said he. I'm Russia the
government is even freer than that now
in the Philippines. ] repeat all that /