The Savannah morning news., 1901-01-16
THE TALKING SENATE
MEMBERS wRANGLE OVER THE
ARMY BILL.
IMPERIALISM THE ISSUE
SENATOR BACON's AMENDMENT DE.
FEATED.


The Question of Increasing the
Army Was Not Passed Upon by the
People, said Var. BacOn-"ImperinI-
ism a Fake Issue" Said MR.. Hanna.
| Washington, Jan. 15.-Some progress was
made to-day by the Senate in the con-
| sideraton of the army reorganization bill.
A tacit agreement has been reached for a
vote very soon"
The principal speeches against the bill
were made by Mr. Berry of Arkansas Mr.
Bacon of Georgia and Mr. Teller OF Col
orado. Mr.. Warren of wyoming deliver
ed an extended argument in support of
the bill. A colloquy between Mr. Bacon
and Mr.. Hanna of Ohio els to the issues
in the November election. created much
interest. Mr.. Bacon's amendment strik-
ing out OF the bill the discretionary au-
thorlty conferred upon the President 20
increase the size of the army, was laid
on the table. by the vote of 80 to 20.
| Mr.. Cockrel made It perfectly clear
that he was opposed to the authorization
7 of large standing army in the pending
measure and declared his intention to
vote against it. He believed it TO be the
duty of Congress. however to speedily
pass the bill MIR. Sewell appealed for
prompt action, and added that al the ear
lest moment he would move to lay the
pending amendment of Mr.. Bacon on the
table ta3g$
Mr.. Bacon withdrew the amendment he
offered yesterday. and proposed the
amendments he offered originally, the
amendments striking out Of the bill the
words comforting upon the President
power to increase from the minimum to
the maximum limit the strength of the
infantry. artillery and cavalry arms of
| the service"
These amendments Mr.. Bacon discussed
at length. He declared that the army
was not intended to control our people
and there was no logic in the proposition
that the army ought to be increased in
proportion to the population.
Does the senator think" interrupted
| Mr.. Scott Of West Virginia. that the
| vote at the polls last fall indicated that
the American people are afraid Of a
standing army?''
The Georgia senator promised to an
| swer the question later.
| Mr. Foraker contended there was no
warrant for the statement that the dis
| cretionary power conferred upon the
| President was unprec cedented.
Mr. Berry also discussed an amendment
to the army bill which he offered yes
terday. 1t authorizes the President to
discaim an intention to exercise sover-l
eighty over the Philippines, except for
paciflcation, and then to leave the isl-
ands to the control of their people Mr.
Berry asserted its enactment would abso-
lutely end the Filipino revolution within
ten days and demonstrate that this coun-
try the greatest and most generous
in the world
On motion of Mr.. Lodge the resolution
was referred to the Committee on the
Philippines.
Consideration of the army organization
bill was resumed informally, Mr. Pettus
Mr. Bate and Mr.. Cockrell, Democratic
members of the Committee on Military
Affairs, making statements in opposition
to the measure. Mr.. Pettus said he re-
garded a large standing army 'the
greatest threat to the liberties of a re-
public that could be made by mortal
man"
Mr. Bacon then replied to the inquiry
of Mr.. Scott. He did not think the Amer
lean people had passed upon the question
of increasing the army. They had not
voted upon the question whether the
United States should pass from q free
republic to an imDerialistic government.
He declared that the Republicans in the
campaign took advantage of serious mis-
takes of their political opponents and
sklfully used those mistakse to their
advantage
"They won the fight" declared Mr.. Ba-
con, upon the financial question and the
full dinner pail"
Mr. Hanna, chairman of the Repubi-
can National Committee, interjected that
every issue made by the Kansas City
convention was met and disposed Of"
Mr. Bacon replied that the newspapers
had quoted Mr. Hanna as saying that
there was no question Of imperialism in
voVed in the campaign.
1.-THE question was not one of imperial
ism" said Mr.. Hanna, but whether the
policy of the administration should be
supported. l said there was no such thing
as Imperialism in our government, and
could not be. Without any offense 10 the
party on the other side, regard imperial
ism a fake issue"
Mr.. Bacon maintained that Mr.. Hanna'S
statement bore out his assertion that the
American people had not passed upon the
question OF Imperialism.
Mr.. Proctor then moved that Mr.. Ba-
cons amendment be laid upon the table.
1t prevailed as follows:
Yeas-Allison, Bard. Burrows. Carter,
Clark, Dolliver Fairbanks, Foraker, Eos
ter. Frye. Gallinger Hanna Hansbrough,
Hawley, Kean Kyle. Lindsay. Lodge, Nc
Comas McCumber McEnery. McLaurIn.
Mcmillan, Morgan. Nelson, Perkin, Platt
OF Connecticut, Platt of New York, Pritch-
ard. Proctor. Quarles, Scott, Sewell
shoup, spooner Stewart, Thurston, War
ren. Wolcott-39.
Nays-Allen, Bate. Berry, Butler. Cal
ferry Clay. Cockreu. Culberson, Daniel,
Harris, Heitfeld, Jones of Arkansas, Pet
tigrew Pettus, Rawlins, Taliaferro, Tel
ler. Towne. Turley. Turner-20
Mr.. Teller then offered his amendment
to the section of the bill authorizing the
President TO retire an army officer under
suspicion by sentence Of court-martial
and took the opportunity to discuss the
Philippine question In many of its phases.
Aluding to a statement made a few days
ago by Mr.. Hawley Mr.. Teller said there
is no danger Of a foreign war on ac-
count of the Danish Islands or with these
and the South Sea Islands thrown in and
that great army Of 100000 was unnecces-
sary to resist any war from any people In
the word.
II know we are not loved in Europe"
continued Mr. Teller. "Our competition
in trade Is creating great feeling over
there, but a people Of seventy-six million
in number. situated as we are, who could
put an army Of 100000 men in the field
In an emergency. Is IN no danger of attack
from the outside NO man gives n good