Mr. Bacon, of Georgia, who seemed to be the leader of the
Democrats on that measure, inquired of the Republicans who
were managing the bill, how many men they needed and what
time would be required to put down the insurrection in the
Philippine Islands. Senator Bacon said that they would give
them the hundred thousand men, or any force they might demand
for one or two or three or five years, or for any required
time. But they were unwilling to give the President the power
of expanding and contracting the army in time of peace. This
was in full Senate.
I followed with a statement that I had no objection to giving
the President this discretion, and did not disapprove the
bill on that account. I thought the size of the Army in
time of peace should be left largely to the opinion of the
experts, especially General Miles, the famous soldier at the
head of our Army, who thought the regular Army should consist
of one hundred for every thousand of our population. That
would be about eighty thousand then, and before long would
require a hundred thousand men. But I said I was opposed
to raising soldiers to carry on the war in the Philippine
Islands.
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