The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-01
AGAINST ARMY BILL
Mr.. Hay Opposes MISUNDERSTANDING
Bill the Supreme Fight.
Z tFrom Our guIar Correspondent

From Our Regular Correspondcnt.1
WASHINGTON, p. c.. April 30.-Rep-
resentative Hay, OF Virginia, member
OF the Committee on Military Affairs
ence, In which the bill has been tied
up for some weeks refuses to sign the
report of the committee, which has
agreed upon the points OF difference
between the conferees.
THE bill increases the appropriation
for the army by $1,000. 900, without add
Ing a single man to It." said Mr.. Hay
to-day. SIN five years the pay of Off
GERS OF the army alone will amount to
S30,000,000. The cost of the Americai,
army in five years will be from
s11o,ooo,ooo to s115.ooo,oOo, and the
size OF the army will not have been
man. The present bill carries $97,000,-
600. OF which s7,oOo,oo0 is increase in
pay.
TO Add More Officers.
IN addition to this concluded Mr..
Hay "a bill has passed the Senate
providing for the addition of 612
that 1t will not be pressed in the
House this session, but look to see
1t pushed through next session. after
the presidential election shall have
passed. This would mean a very heavy
increase in the cost Of the army. !
am opposed to increasing the cost OF
our military establishment to such All
extent. especially when the size of the
army is not Increased in like proper
tion. I do not think the pay of otil-
GERS should have been increased. I was
willing to increase the pay of enlisted
men,"
In this connection It is proper to re-
mark that Mr.. Hay. as a. member OF
tho Committee on Military Affairs, has
succeeded In securing a favorable re-
his committee, save one or two bills
providing for roads to Federal ceme-
teries. No bills OF this character were
reported this year.
The Supreme Fight.
The supreme fight OF this session Is
about to be pulled off. 1t will be over
the enactment Of a currency law by
the House. It Is an inter-Republican
taking more or less of Corinthian In
tcrest, at this stage, but one in which
they will take hand later, II the Re-
publican caucus should decide that the
Aldrich bill or the Vreeland bill must
be passed.
The House Committee on Banking
and Currency decided this morning not
to report the Vreeland bill, Just as 1t
had decided some time ago not to re-
rort the Aldrich bill, which had passed
the Senate. There is little doubt that
the Republicans will caucus next week
on q currency bill, although, as stated
in this correspondence this week. thirty
members refuse to agree to
be bound by the caucus action.
Should the caucus decide to force
the vreeland bill through, 1t is safe
to assume that thirty Republican mem
bers would unite with the Democrats
to defeat i. on the floor, which would
mean that the Republicans would be
unable to pass 1t. There are 223 Re
publican members of the House and
1856 Democrats. Republican majorit,
of fifty.-seyen, s,ssS.e,, s. Is
IS ss very ddsihJ Jknf si,t tsef u,
Democrats swish mat tiers to- prog ess Il
the stage where the Republicans will
transfer TO them the responsibility of
defeating currency legislation. although
the Democratic members and the thirty
Republicans contend that no leEisla-
ton on the subject is better than that
which is proposed by either the Aldrict
or the Vreeland bill. s