The Savannah morning news., 1901-01-04
ARMY BILL TAKEN UP
SENATOR BACON LEADS IN THE
DISCUSSION.
CALLS DOWN SEN. HAWLEY
sHIP-sUBsIDY BILL SENT BACK TO
CALENDAR.

MIR. Bacon Ready TO Vote for n Bill
providing an Adequate Army for
4 present NeedS-WiIIinE to Stand by
1 the Administration in maintenance
4 of Its Authority in Philippines, but
4 ODposed to Policy of Those in Con-
/ trOI-GeOrgia Has Furnished Her
i quota of Soldiers to Philippines.
Washington, Jan. S-Without a murmur
of dissent and without a word of COM
ment the Senate to-day displaced the
4 shipping subsidy bill from it's privileged
\ position as unfinished business" which
4 IT has occupied since the second day OF
this session, and substituted for it the
army reorganization bill.
/ When the Senate convened to-day in its
first session of the twentieth century the
army bill was taken up with a view to
pressing it to a final vote as soon as possi-
ble IT'S consideration proceeded until 2
o'cock-the end of the morning session
! when the subsidy bill was laid before the
Senate. Mr.. Pettigrew of South Dakota
then objected to a request for unanimous
consent to continue the discussion of the
4 ermy bill. BY a vote of the Senate the
military measure was continued for con-
sderation. thus making it the unfinished
business and sending the subsidy bill back
4 10 the calendar. During the discussion of
the army measure the opposition senator
Indicated that their line of attack upon
4 the bill would be against the creation of
Ia large, permanent standing army. There
was intimation that objection would not
4 be offered to a temporary measure to pro-
4 vide an adequate force to maintain the
authority of the United States in the Phil
ippnes.
At the opening the bill was laid before
4 the Senate and on demand of Mr. Petit
grew, read in full.
Mr.. Proctor, a member of the Military
Committee, explained that the original
Senate measure had increased only the
artillery arm. The bill provided in brief,
Mr. Proctor explained, for an army of 5S,>
( 900 minimum strength. and $4,000 maxi
mum strength.
Mr.. Bacon inquired who would have
discretion in the fixing of the strength of
che army.
The President of the United States"
4 replied Mr.. Proctor.
"Aguinaldo will have something to say
about it," interjected Mr.. Hawley.
To Mr. Hawley's remark Mr.. Bacon
tetorted hotly. He said the Senate was
here to discuss this great question of
the army reorganization seriously, and
with due sense of it's gravity. He had,
he said, asked his question in good faith
and resented thprpfOra 10 incular IN
terjection of Mr.. Hawley.
The Senate was engaged in a most serl-
Gus discussion. 1t involved the more Sc
rlous question whether it should be the
recognized policy of the government that
the chief executive should have unlimited
uncontrolled, unbridled power-the abso-
lutte power to increase at his will the army
OF the United States.
Mr.. Hawley disclaiped any intention Of
being uncivil and said he had meant
That the cause of the Filipino insurgents
might be determining factor in the size
Of the army.
Mr.. Bacon inquired why the discre-
uonary power of fixing the size of the
army should be taken from Congress and
conferred upon the President.
Mr. Allison maintained that the
strength of the army from year to year
would be determined by the appropria-
tlons for the army made by Congress.
Ihls year, he said. appropriations would
De made for an army of the maximum
strength.
Mr.. Hawley referred to the opening OF
lne Civil War, the firing upon Fort Sum-
er' possibly in the presence of Mr.. Ba.
coh-and President Lincoln's subsequent
can for 5000 men without action by Con,
gress.
Mr. Bacon replied that he was not at
mat exact point when Sumter was fired
upon THE time has come" he said,
"hen the statute of limitations ought to
Oar such discussion"
AT o'clock the shipping subsidy bill
was laid before the Senate as the un-
finished business. Without division a mo-
uon of Mr.. Hawley to proceed with the
Consideration of the army bill prevailed
MT Pettigrew demanded an explanation
OF the army bill.
Mr. Sewell of New Jersey replied that
seventy-sx thousand troops are now in
the Philippines, divided among four hun
ofed posts, and said troops must be pro-
Vded to replace the volunteers now being
Withdrawn. ''The conditions" he said
demand the presence of very consia-
cradle force. No matter how. No matter
how we got there, we are there, and we
ought to stay there"
Mr.. Bacon said he was ready now to
vote for bill providing an adequate army
ior the present needs of the government,
but limited as to the time of its operation.
Tie was irrevocably opposed, he declared,
10 the present bill because it fastened
upon the country for all time an Immense
Standing army He expressed his perfect
Willingness 10 support the administration
IN its maintenance of it's authority in the
philippines. He differed from the con-
troliing powers in their Philippine policy,
odt he was always willing to support the
authority OF the United States. He
POINTED out that among the soldiers in
me Philippines his own state (Georgia)
had furnished its fun proportion.
Nothing was further from him, he said
man to suggest that the Senate should
net maintain the governments hands in
uose Eastern islands, however individ-
ual senators might feel and think as to
the governments policy. The danger was
mat the army would be increased event
"dly to one of several hundreds of thou-
Sands-to an army that would dominate
'he country. He suggested that the Mill
'ary Affairs Committee ought to pre-
pare bill providing for special Phil
ippine army. That, ne thought, would re-
AeVe the country of the menace Of a great
standing arxIy.
Mr.. Sewell said 1--WE now have more
SNrmishes in the Philippines than at any
ume almost since the beginning Of the
war"
Mr. Tillman of South Carolina inquired
whether any provision Of the bill re-
CURED that enlisted men should be re-
'4Ihed to this country when their SER