The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-02-21

During the last campaign the demo-
Gratis pointed cut that republican sue
cess would encourage the party inpowr
TO increase tho standing army. The re-
putlicans evaded the question for the
most part and, when they were chal-
lenged to meet it, ~resorted to subter-
fuge and deception. They claimed that
b army then in service was made
necessary by the war in the Philip
pines and called attention to the fact.
that the increase expired by Limitation
Nm 1901. They pretended to believe
hat the army could be reduced before
that time if the republicans won at the
election and the Filipinos were as
sured that there would be no change
In the administration. These argu-
ments ought not to have misled any
one because the president, two months
before hostilities broke out at Manila,
asked for authority to raise the army
to u hundred thousand.
A republican house of representa-
,tives passed a bill giving him the au-
thoritX and the democrats and their
pcpulist and silver republican allies in
the senate secured the Limitation
which the republicans We're after
w @AAASuo+ W AAOC DOl1uus AO
election resulted in a republican VIC
tory even more pronounced than the
leaders Of that party had expected, but
the wal in the Philippines did not ter.
inmate and then the imperialists came
out from under cover and boldly de-
manded an increase in the military
establishment. A bill was introduced
hurried through the house and SEN
nfn and ic r0ur a 1ouy Tbo %;%1o ~ - Sc
a confession of cowardice. 1t is not a
ing army, but a bill ITO increase the
establishment of the United States"
1t provides that the army of the United
States shall consist of fifteen regiments
OF cavalry, a corps of artillery, thirty
regiments of infantry, one lieutenant
general, six major generals, fifteen
brigadier generals, ETC., ETC., etc. Each
regiment of cavalry and infantry has
one colonel, one lieutenant colonel.
three majors, fifteen captains, fifteen
first lieutenants and fifteen second
Heutenants, besides sergeants, sergeant
majors, %corporals, etc.-the etc. in
Guiding, among other persons, pri-
Yates ranging from forty-three to sew
SAIy-oAA ia cdCu cavalry LIOOp, GkAu
from forty-eight to one hundred and
twenty-seven in each infantry com
pany. The president is given the dan
gerous power to increase the army to
the maximum. The number of enlisted
men may include twelve thousand ma
tives to be enlisted in the Philippine
islands il the president sees fit to en-
list them.
II anyone will read the bill complete
and count the number of generals, col
onels, lieutenant colonies, majors, cap
tains, first ~lieutenants, second lieuten-
ants, adjutants, inspectors, quarter
masters and other officers with life
tenure, he a understand something
of the force which m~ilitarism can COM
mand. in any legislative contest with
the taxpayers.
1t is easier to increase an army, espc-
cially the official part, than reduce it,
and the people have before them a diff
ficult task, but the burdens and men,
ace Of militarism a be relied upon to
arouse the people. When the awaken
ing ONE it will be found that the
people who profit by a large military
establishment, however powerful in
present influence, are insignificant in
numbers compared with those who n
injured.