Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-26
HULL TALKS ARMY AFFAIRS
Chairman Of the House Military Committee
0Ommends General staff.
MAKES ARMY READY FOR QUICK ACTION
Congressman Questions the Success Of
the ConstabuIary System In the
Philippines, but Does Not
nde IL.

Hon. John A. Hull, member of congress
from the Des Moines Qa.) district, was en-
tertained at lunch at the Omaha club yes
terday afternoon and departed for his home
last evening. Congressman Hull Is chair
man OF the house committee on military
AFFAIRS. In reference to military legislation
by the last congress he said:
The passage OF the army general stan
bill will result in great good to the army
in many ways. In the Arst place, Il will
do away with the Intricate system of
bureaucracy and will permit the co-ordina-
ton Of army interests. That is, all branches
Of the service will become co-ordinate and
can be operated on an intelligent plan. The
general stan will have immediate and COM
prehensive supervision OF the several army
departments and should another war break
out everything would be in readiness for
the greatest expedition. l do think the
measure might have been somewhat i'm
proved by providing for the permanent re-
tention Of officers in the general stan after
they have reached the rank OF lieutenant
colonel. AS 1t is, OF course, officers may
be re-detailed to the general stan, and,their
special qualifications availed of as often as
the good of the service may require.
81 question the success Of the constAbu-
larry system in the Philippines, though l am
not prepared to denounce It. l believe the
enlistment of trustworthy Filipinos into
the military service, furnishing them with
the army uniform and utilizing them as
scouts, would bring better results than the
constabulary system. Tn average Filipino,
once accustomed to the United States uni
form, becomes proud Of and loyal to It.
Faith in the FilipinOs.
tV - q 49, 80 - - ,tVs-s---
ultimately becoming good, loyal American
citizens. They are unquestlonably the
brightest and most intelligent of the
Malay races. They are initiative and are
very eager to avail themselves Of the Amer
lean school system. They learn rapidly
and have very retentive memories. The
American occupation Of the islands has
been a blessing to them and they begin to
realize 1t. The civil government is in abb
solute control, and loyalty to the American
government is growing constantly. There
will be much Of the ladronism for a long
time to come, There will be a few minor
instructions, but these are mostly insti-
gated by the ladrones, and what we would
call in this country bushwhaokers.
1.-THE hue and cry against the army in the
Philippines is gradually dying out. We
hear but little Of it now, though II may
break out again at the next congress. The
morale Of the army is improving, and the
American army is the best military estab-
lishment Of the world. Congress is loyal
to the army and has always been and al
ways will be.
"Nebraska's great work in sending an
almost solid republican congressional dele
cation to the next congress is, highly cred
liable and will give the state much prestige
at Washington. OF course there is no
doubt but that the Nebraska delegation to
the republican national convention in 1904
will be instructed for Roosevelt. Your
state has prospered greatly, l see, and
Omaha, too, is reaping the henefts OF the
current good times" ~ = I'll Ti.t