Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-04
DEBATE ON THE. ARMY BILL
SENATOR sEwE8L EXPLAINS THE
NEED OF LARGE FORCES.
Senator Hawley Hints at Possibility
Of War With Some Jealous
European Power.

VI Ahe star . report. senator pettl&reW
having declared that b did not believe the
necessity existed for an army of 100000.
Senator sewell replied that the United
states had had as high as 10000 troops in
the Philippines and even now had about
76'OOo men there. These were divided
among over 400 posts
IF we are to hold the Philippines" Mr..
Sewell said, I'VE will have to keep a large
army there this year, next year and per-
haps for several years to come. We are
now Withdrawing our volunteers from the
Philippines in compliance with the law. 1t
will take all the time between now and the
3Oth OF June to bring back these men. The
question Of transportation is a great one 10
deal with There is urgent necessity for
the passage Of this BILL as troops must be
provided to take the places Of the volun-
teers in the Philippines.
Il think no senator Is In favor of aban-
doning our flag in the Philippines or any
where else, unless it be the senator from
going on there. There may not be any
great shock of battle. but the conditions
demand the presence Of very considerable
force. The country must face this question
boldly. 1t will require large army in the
Philippines for several years to come. No
matter how we got there, we are there,
and we ought to stay there"
Opposed to a Large Standing Army.
Senator Bacon Of Georgia, speaking in OPP
position to the bill, declared his willingness
to vote to maintain the army needed in the
Philippines in the present emergency but
that this emergency should not be made an
excuse for the establishment of a perma-
nent standing army Of 100000 men. He ex-
pressed his perfect willingness to support
the administration in Its maintenance OF its
authority in the Philippines. He differed
from the controlling powers in their Philip
pine policy. but he was always willing to
support the authority Of the United States.
Mr.. Hoar inquired Of Mr.. Sewell, with
reference to his statement that a force Of
&C, 900 was needed in the Philippines, wheth-
er there had been any change In the situa-
ton in the Islands since the message Of
the President was sent to Congress. He
then read a portion Of the message. Have
those conditions changed into the condi-
tons described by the senator from New
Jersey?" he inquired.
Piled Mr.. Sewell I'VE now have more
skrmshes there than at any time almost
since the beginning Of the war"
Mr. Tillman (S.C) inquired whether any
provision Of the bill required that enlisted
men should be returned to this country
when their services no longer were re-
quired. He said he understood that
young man in whom he was interested had
been courtmartialed for some trivial Of
Tense. and at the expiration of the SEN
or funds. The War Department had no
trace Of him. HeHdeclared that no matter
what the charge against the soldier was, he
ought to have been returned to this coun-
try. =" -
Might Have War with a Great Power.
Mr. Hawley said the necessity for an
adequate army was evident to all. In ad-
dtion to conditions In the Philippines.
known to all, he said that the United
States might AT any time come within the
pale of war with some European power
I'VE are not altogether out of sight Of
SEINE possibility of war with some Euro
pean power" he said. I'VE do not know
They are in a great deal Of trouble there,
and / unders 9-,d they look with very great
jealousy upon our talk of a Danish island
and our talk about acquiring other terri
tory" r a.-t,3-.....-
Mr. Carter defended the proposed increase
of the permanent army in view Of the tenn
per Of the Philippine people. The Paris
treaty had imposed duties with regard to
the Philippines which the President could
not avoid If he would. In view Of the
present guerrilla warfare, Mr.. Carter con-
tended that 1t would be necessary to con-
tinue to police the islands for an indefinite
time. He thought fully 10000 men would
be necessary for that purpose. At present
more American soldiers would be needed
than later, when there were better tele-
graph and mail facilities
May he Needed Indefinitely.
Mr.. Bacon asked how long time would
be necessary to keep so large an army in
the Philippines to which Mr.. Carter re-
piled, THAT remains to be seem"
Mr.. Bacon: "In the opinion of the sena-
tor, how longT'
Mr.. Carter: II have not sufficient infor
ma ton to fix definite time
Mr. Bacon: Then the senator recognizes
that the time may be indeflnite?"
Mr. Carter: That word indefinite Ats
the situation very we'll"
Mr.. Carter argued that the Filipinos had
been encouraged by the failure to make u
permanent increase Of the army in the
last session. AS for himself he had no
fear of the effects Of an increase for the
reason that it would be competent for Con-
gress to decrease the army at any time,
whatever the present action might be. The
Filipinos should be made to understand once
for all that 1t is the purpose of the United
States to maintain law and order in the
Philippines, and he thought the most eff
fective way in which to do that was to
permanently increase the army.
After some routine business had been
transacted Mr.. Daniel called up and had
read the resolutions adopted by the House
of Representatives upon the death of the
late Representative r. A. Wise Of Vir-
ginia He then offered a resolution ex-
pressing the sorrow of the Senate at the
intelligence Of DR.. Wise's death, and, at
AIS pm, as a further mark Of respect,