The Savannah morning news., 1901-01-12
WILL MARK AN EPOCH
SENATOR BACoN'S HARD FIGHT
UPON ARMY BILL.
A MARCH TOWARDS EMPIRE.
EVIDENT PURPOSE TO ELIMINATE
THE VOLUNTEER.

Dangerous Power to Place In the
Hands of the President-HOuse APP
pOrtionment Bill Passed without
Debate.
Washington. Jan. 1.-THE Senate to-day
passed the House bill apportioning the
representatives of the United States
among the several states. 1t now only
awaits the Presidents signature. 1t was
passed without debate and precisely as 1t
came from the House.
A vigorous attack was made upon that
portion of the army reorganization bill
which confers upon the President dis
cretionary power to increase the strength
of the army to the maximum limit fixed
by the bill. Mr.. Bacon of Georgia began
the attack and MI Platt of Connecticut
replying maintained that discretionary
power ought to be conferred upon the
President and expressed establishment
that anybody should fear abuse of power.
At the opening the House apportionment
bill was reported favorably by the Cen
sus Committee, but the measure went
over on objection of Mr.. Pettus of Ala
bama.
Consideration then was resumed of the
army reorganization bill. Mr.. Hawley,
chairman of the Committee on Military
Affairs, withdrew the committee amend
ment, section 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 of Massachusetts, formally Of
fered the amendment of which he had
heretofore given notice providing that no
further 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, 80
to 10, on motion of Mr.. Carter of Montana.
The vote on the motion follows:
Yeas-Allison, Bard, Burrows, Carter,
Clark, Deboe, Dolliver. Fairbanks, Fora
ker, Foster, Frye. Gallinger, Hanna,
Hansbrough. Hawley, Kean, Lodge, Me
Comas, McCumber, Mcmillan, Morgan
| Nelson, Perkins, Platt of Connecticut
| Proctor, Scott, Sewell, Shoup, Simon,
Spooner, Stewart. Thurston-S2
| Nays-Allen, Bate, Berry, Butler, Clay
| Cockrell Daniel Hale, Harris. Hoar
Jones of Arkansas, Mallory. Pettigrew.
Pettus, Rawlins. Teller Towne, Turley,
! Wellington-19
Mr. Pettigrews amendment providing
that one-third Of the appointments to
commissioned rank in the regular army
should be made from officers of the vol
unteer army was defeated 80 to 16
Mr.. Daniel of Virginia offered an amend
ment providing that volunteer officers may
be designated for examination and those
who establish their fitness may be ap-
pointed TO the grade of captain in the
regular army, as well as to the grade of
first and second lieutenant, as provided
for by the Senate committees amend
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
the volunteer officers that they should
have proper opportunity for advance
ment. He maintained that the volunteers
ought to have as generous consideration as
Congress could give them, without, Of
course disparaging thereby the officers
of the regular army.
Mr.. Proctor of Vermont replied that
unfortunately the United States had no
system whereby an officer or enlisted man
in the army could be rewarded for gall
liant or conspicuous services by promo
tion. He believed that the proposed
amendment would operate as a great in
justice to scores of regular officers. The
amendment was agreed to, "a to %
Mr.. Bacon of Georgia moved to strike
out the Provision that the President in
his discretion. may increase the number
of corporals in any troop of cavalry to
eight, and the number of privates 20 76
Mr.. Bacon contended that this was one
of the paragraphs that conferred upon the
President discretionary power to regulate
the size of the army.
faf4 .
none of the doubt or fear of trouble that
seemed to worry some senators as to the
increase of the army to 1000 men. Such
an army could do the country no harm.
Mr.. Platt said he feared the pending
bill did not confer upon the Presidents
authority to increase the army from 5000
to 100000 at any time. That power he
thought ought to be conferred upon the
President. The President ought to be
regarded as a conscientious, able and pa
triotic man.
Mr. Bacon replied he thought the coun-
try 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-
nected 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 scof.
but it is nevertheless true that the pass->
age Of bill by which the President shall
control the size of the army Is a march
toward empire. 1t is the evident purpose
of this bill to eliminate for all time the
volunteer system from the military es-
tablishment of the country and create for
all time a great standing army. The issue
is not to be eyaded. Shall it be in the fu-
ture the province Of the President to raise
armies or shall that be the province Of
Congress?
Il would rather see the party I belong
10 condemned to universal and never end
ing Punishment from political power than
to see such an authorization of power
placed upon the statute books"
Mr. Hoar expressed the opinion that an
army of 5000 at present would not make
the executive more formidable than he
was made by an army Of 25,OOO when that
limit was fixed An army of 100 900 in his
Judgment was far within the limit of do
nestle safety TO liberty. but he felt that
on account of the use 10 be made Of the
army he would have 10 vote against Il.
The army bill was then laid aside ana
Mr.. Carter OF Montana, chairman Of the
Census Committee, asked for unanimous
consent that the House apportionment bill
be considered. strong disposition was
manifested to oppose immediate considera-
ton Of the measure but actual objection
was not offered, and while two or three
oauafa,ra mara diqouaqlpg Among thorn.