The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-12
Army Appropriation Bill
in the House.
A SPEECH ON COTTON
Mr.. Johnson of South Carolina Would
Have Advocates of Low Cotton
Pull Bell Cord of Mule and
Make the Staple at That
Price.
(By the Associated Press.)

Washington, Jan. 11.-The appoint
ment of Lieutenant General Nelson ~.
Miles as admtant general of the State
of Massachusetts overshadowed all
other questions in the discussion of
the Army Appropriation Bill in the
House of Representatives today. The
debate had proceeded leisurely until
Mr.. Hull. in charge of the bill offered
an amendment providing that retired
officers above the grade of major
should not receive the full pay of their
grade when assigned to duty with the
militia of the several states. Several
members declared that the amend
ment was directed especially at Cen
eral Miles, but MIR. Hull insisted that
he had no such thought in mind. and
argued that the best results We're OBJ
tanned from officers of the lower
grades. He asserted that not until
the law was passed allowing increased
pay for officers assigned to the militia
did retired officers of the higher grades
apply for the appointments. He Salc
it was such increased pay and not
patriotism which prompted them and
he characterized their conduct as un-
seemly. This statement reused M.
Cocran of New York who declared
thai ~it. was geissssw nepalizing superior
officers TO the advantages and profit OF
inferior officers. After Il lively debate
the amendment was adopted.
Mr.. Williams (Miss.) was outspoken
i'm the statement that the real motive
behind the amendment was an attack
on General Nelson a. Miles. adjutan.
general of Massachusetts,. 'who is ex-
tremeIy persona non grata in high cir
cles in the Republican party. 1t was
he said no new thing for the Repub'i-
can party to slight the heroes of the
nation and nush it's faVorites to the
front 1t had not been long. he said,
since the country witnessed the man
ner in which Admiral Schley was
treated, and the way in which General
Miles was snubbed in public, for what
reason was not known. But. ne
said. "amd laughter and applause,
don't snub him in his new State
militia uniform. Don't take that away
from him in this time of his pride.
He then attacked the principle OF q
large standing army or a great navy.
Economy should. he said, commence
with the military establishment. but
ne added in a spirit of ridicule. don
take it all out on General Miles adj
ditional pay and his Massachusetts
State uniform
Several members severely criticised
army and navy expenditures and Mr..
Prince called attention to the large
retired list. which included 236 brig
adler generals who he said could not
have been retired by operation If
law. though he disclaimed any inten-
tion of charging any maladministra-
ton of the law.
Mr. Slayden ridiculed the idea of
economy as practiccd by the Republi-
cans and cited the customs office al
Beaufort $. c.. where ne said it cost
S1509 to collect $1.55 by two officers.
and at York. Maine, $3.50 to collect
$3.50 by one officer. He suggested that
it might be advisable to abolish the
Beaufort office and give it TO w. d.
Crum with the revenues Of the office
as his compensation "as 1T seems,
he said, "he won't be happy unless he
has customs office"
Consideration of the army bill was
not concluded when the House adj
journed until tomorrow.