The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-03-31

BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.
Washington, March 30.--[speciall l.
Many army officers deplored the neces-
sity of going into Mexico, or nj least
they spoke In that vein. They did not
believe that a campaign in the noun
tains and chapparal while hunting elu-
sive bandits would mean much glory
for any one and that many a good man
would be potted and put away without
having had much chance for a stand
up fight with the enemy.
At the same time this affair In MexL
co has made possible army legislation.
Without IL there would have been a
long contest, and the bill as finally
passed would have been far short of
what 1t VIII be when enacted into law.
The brush in Mexico gave an impetus
TO the army increase
"Our Great 6urdena.v
Former Speaker Cannon, supporting
the army increase. said he favored 1t
from every standpoint. First of all, on
account of "the great burdens that this
country has to bear" which he emu
merated:
'"The Monroe doctrine. taking posses
sion of Santo Domingo. Haiti, Nicara-
qua; then there are the Sandwich ~
lands. the Panama cnnaf and the Philip
pines. Oh, the Philippines!" cried Uncle
Joe. "Wehave them. Blythe treaty made
by President Mckinley and ratified by
the senate. with the help OF William
Jennings Bryan, we have the Philip
pines and win have the Philippines
longer than any of us live. Having put
our hands to tho pillow, we win not turn
lack"
Ills remarks were greeted with loud
applause ON the Republican side and ST.
lence among the Democrats.
But Was He Righta
There is still a question whether
Cannon was right In regard TO the re-
tention of the Philippines. 1t has not
been tested I'm the house, but it may
be that enough Democrats have been
found TO oppose the Clarke amend
ment to prevent its enactment At all
events, there has been no great rush
TO bring the Philippine bill with It's
Independence provisions before the
house. The delay does o look fa-
vorable to Its passage.
Incidentally 1t may be stated that
most of the reasons enumerated by
Cannon for the army increase came To
US as a result of the Spanish war.
Had it not been for that conflict we
would not have had so many "bur-
dens."
Why Not a Pleasant Dream?
Talking on the plate bin, Sen
ator Pfttman naturally spoke OF the
navy, which he said he hoped would
be able to match any In the world,
protecting a great commerce on the
high seas and our shores against In
vasion.
well, that may be So" remarked the
practical Gallinger of New Hampshire.
but Ii Is a dream"
at may be a dream" replied Pitt
man, "but do not see why we cannot
have a pleasant dream"
COMEDIES With Shafroth.
Senator Thomas OF Colorado fire.
quently goes around to the seat of his
colleague. John Shafroth, and condoles
with him. John" he says, II see that
your speech is still hung up In the mir.
Here we are almost breathlessly wait
ing for you to finish your speech on
the water power blu and are each day
disappointed"
The water power bill seems destined
to have n long wait. Shafroth had Just
begun a speech and was only partially
started when the bill was crowded out
by more important measures.
Called IL a Peace Bill.
Congressman Gardner of Massachu-
sets was criticising the Hay army
bill, saying that 1t was like the noun
tain which produced a NOUS He was
interrupted by James Of Michigan.
who asked:
rs not this bin In its present form q
Joke and such that peace at any price
advocates as William Jennings Bryan,
Henry Ford and Jane Adams could
all vote for it?"
Il will say to my fellow member and
Spanish war veteran that he Is right"
responded Gardner.
Not a Good School.
Congressman Hull OF Iowa seems to
have found congress lacking In schol-
astic qualities. "Since I came to con-
gress,' he told the house one day, II
have been asking questions, and I con-
TESS that the more / ask the less /
learn"
Trained to BE a Soldier.
Minority Leader Mann told the house
that during his university term he had
three years OF military training, that
be was captain OF two different com
panies for a year each. Then he went
q little further and said TINT at the
time of the Spanish war he offered to
enlist as a private In an Illinois regi-
ment.
But everybody is glad that Mann did
not become a soldier and instead ne
NAMED in congress. where he has bean
% useful.