Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-05
THE SIZE OF THE ARMY
ANIMATED DEBATE CONTINUED IN
THE SENATE.
Mr.. HOar Introduces an Amendmen nj
Looking to Cancellation OF
the FilipinOs.

The discussion Of the army reorganization
bill was continued Cor five hours yesterday
After The Stars report was closed the de-
bate continued on the necessity for an in
crease in the regular army.
Mr.. Hoar advanced proposition to create
a commission, to be composed of all shades
of political opinion. to investigate the en-
tire Philippine question and report its find
ings to Congress in order that basis
might be formed for intelligent action.
Mr.. Carter declared it was the intention
of the United States to maintain the laws
in the Philippines, to restore order and to
protect property. Beyond that point Con-
gress would determine what the ultimate
disposition of the islands would be.
Mr.. Teller (Col) sharply criticised the
pending measure and the committee for re-
porting it in its present form. He was OPP
posed to large. permanent standing army
This bill fastened for all time a system
upon the country that. In his judgment was
vicious.
You'll want not 100000 men," he de-
clared, but you'll want 100000. and you
will want them for a hundred years. This
measure is not intended merely to meet an
emergency, but to fix upon the country
great standing army
Mr.. Teller said it would be easily possible
to pass a bill in forty-eight hours that
would provide for an army of 100000 men
or 100000 men for service in the Philip
pines. provided it was made to apply to
purely emergency service and for definite
limited time. He arraigned the committee
for not discussing the great question of the
| increase of the army in its report. instead
of devoting practically all of the report to a
consideration of the canteen question.
! Philippine Commission Attacked.
He attacked the Philippine commission
now in Manila, declaring that it's actions
| were the grossest form of imperialism AS
foreigners and strangers to the land and it's
| llo iSSin no Coi1 cat fhara
in Manila and legislated for people in whom
| the five members of the commission had no
| interest
The Car of Russia said he, sis an alb
| Solute car. He has a council of sixty men
who sit with him, but these men are Rus
| slams. They have the sympathy and ambi-
tons of Russians. But these Americans in
| the Philippines are strangers to the country
and to the people. Under the law they have
right to be there, but under Gods law.
which is higher, they have no place there
at all. Their actions are the worst form OF
| Imperialism
Mr.. Teller said it was the purpose of the
government to apply the Monroe doctrine
| to Cuba. and that the same doctrine ought
| to be applied to the Philippines He be-
| lieved that If the resolution which he had
| introduced with respect to Cuba were APP
piled to the Philippines. as it to be APP
piled To Cuba, whether it was desired to
| apply 1t or not, the Philippine question
would be solved.
Mr.. Caffery inquired whether in the cir
cumstances Mr.. Teller would vote to MAIN
| tain the authority of the United States in
! the Philippines.
LAS Mr.. Lincoln announced in regard to
the Mexican war replied the Colorado
senator, "a war that he did not believe in
he would vote for such a force as the gov
| eminent needed. So / have no doubt that
as long as our flag floats in the Philippine
archipelago, l will, reluctant l may be-
vote to maintain the army and the flag
there. If that is illogical, it is illogical be-
cause there is no better way out of it."
Adverting again to the manifestation of
| imperialism in the Philippines Mr. Teller
| said: The President has assured us that
| there is no danger of Imperialism but if
| imperialism can be made worse than it is
now in the Philippines you'll have to in
| crease the ability of the human mind for
absolutism.' In response to a question by
Mr.. Carter as to whether he would recog-
nize the principle of Filipino independence,
| MIR. Teller said he would not recognize it
with shot and shell.
Peace Footing of the Army.
Replying to Mr.. Teller, Mr.. Proctor said
he thought the Colorado senator was under
a misrepresentation as to what the army
| bill proposes to do He then said that as
he regarded the matter the maximum force
authorized by the bill was only to be used
in the present emergency, and that there
would be a return to the minimum of o.
600 which was the peace footing force Of
the bill. No one could tell when more
troops might be needed in Alaska HAWAII,
| Porto Rico. Likewise there was possibility
of the need of larger force in Cuba at
the request of the Cubans themselves And
as for the Philippines no one could doubt
that for a considerable time even if all
demands should be granted. large force
of our troops must be kept in those islands.
Mr. Jones tArkD asked Mr.. Proctor if he
would consent to an amendment limiting
the maximum of troops authorized to the
present exigency, striking out of the bill
the provision cor until Congress may 9TH
erWise direct.
Mr.. Proctor replied that individually he
would be willing to have the provision
modified so as to make it read until Con-
gress otherwise directs" He said, how
the committee. 1t had not occurred to him
that there was any chance that the maxi
mum force would be used after the expira-
ton of the present emergency.
Mr. Culberson read an extract from Pres
ident Mckinleys letter of acceptance of
his second nomination in which the Presi-
dent said that but for the false hopes
aroused in the hearts Of the Fiipinos nv
democratic campaign promises a consider
able reduction of the army in the Philip
pines could have been effected In view of
this statement and taking into account the
fact that the election had resulted in favor
of the republicans, Mr. Culberson asked
whether 1t was not now possible to make
the reduction suggested by the President.
Mr.. Proctor replied that he was not pre-
pared to discuss the political phase of the
situation, his information being confined
entirely to the military situa ton.
Cancellation of the FiIipinos.
Mr.. Hoar suggested general amendment
to the bill. looking to the Cancellation of the
Filipnos, and he expressed the opinion tina
in time Of peace we should have one sol.
der to each 1000 of our population. He die
not. therefore, he said. oppose the bill or
the score of increase. but he did oppose /,
because Of the avowed policy of military
control Of the Philippines. He quoted from
the Presidents message concerning the in.
crease Of the military, and said the infer.
!; ence was that at least 10000 of the new
army were to be used in the PHILIPPINES
He could not reconcile this condition with
the Presidents expressed desire to extend
good government and liberty to the Fill
plnos To his mind liberty is inconsistent
with foreign domination, for no country is
free whose administration is at the mere,
of another country. There could be no ma.
tional rights without national independence
no more than there can be individual free
dom under guardian.
1T is idle he said, "to tell US that these
: people are not fit for self-government." He
quoted the President and naval officers t.
show that the Filipinos are an intelligent
5 people, and added: The way to prepare
them for liberty is to set them Free
/ tal at h..v