National Republican., 1885-12-19
TIE CIVIL POWER SUPRENE.
sCME FACTS ABOUT CERTAIN NAVY DE-
PARTAENT PRACTICES.
The Bureau of Navigation, once OF
Detail, and once Of Naval Intelligence
in Their Relations TO the Ostensible
Head of the Department.


on the next day be rcopponted for another
term Of -four years, because he "is next to
the Secretary in the management OF the |
nfIairs Of the department. lie has charge |
,f the detail Of all officers, ard his services
could not well be dispensed with nt pres
tEt.n
This reappointmcnt for the reason given |
~ Secretary Whitney taken In connection |
with his revocation on May g, 1885, By |
order No. 33T, Of the order Of his prede- |
ccssor, No. 33o, dated Oct. /, 1884, relative |
to the mode Of detailing naval officers, In |
licates his determination practically to
ahdicate during his term the supreme direc-
ton and control of the navy, as the repre-
sentative of the President, its commander-in-
chief, and TO confine himself to the legal busi
ness of the department. the work at the
navy yards, and his political and social
duties In Washington. 1t informs the navy
ard the nation that the chief naval control
will I've permanently, assumed by a captain,
Junior TO thirty other line-otlicers on the
active list, who has seen only five months
sea service in his present grade, and only
thirteen years sea-seryice during his thirty
four years in the navy: whose sea.service is
less than that of twenty-eight junior cap
tains, aud who is the only naval officer per
sistingly evading the sea-duty which he
owes by every rule.
II this abdication OF his highest power by
the proper functionary, and the assumption
Of the rolinquished duty by naval officer OF
comparatively low rank, concerned only
these two persons, 1t might be passed over
without notice until the official retirement Of
the one or the decease Of the other should
bring termination. But the interests Of
- 90 .tn ,,..I nt.tIpa .1a-
mand that an arrangement so Injurious and
intolerable should be opposed BY all who
have those interests at heart.
The method adopted violates the repub-
lican and constitutional principle of the
sui ordination of the military to the civil
power Ours are not the army and navy
Of q monarchy. Our President is chosen
only for four years. During that term he
conducts the government through the
seven heads Of departments authorized by
the cOnstitstion, established by legislation,
and, from the beginning, selected from
civil life, to represent the President accord
ing to his will, In performing the details of
executive work, always in conformity to
the laws Of the Congress.
To two OF these civilian secretaries,
heads OF the War and Navy Departments,
each acting for the President, always with
the formality and force Of a constitutional
department, is given the direct command
of the army and navy. The constitutional
theory has worked well in practice. The
people have thus conetantly maintained the
necessary domination over the army and
navy without ever impairing in time of
war the force and efficiency OF the military
arm. ANY departure from the established
system will be fraught with evil conse-
quences, not only to the country, but to
the army and navy themselves. Any de-
liheratc attempts by military chieftains to
a.. nf t1,at. ,r
command, the secretaries OF the two great
departments will arouse popular jealousy
and will at last prove ignominious failures.
Without the intervention Of the secretaries
welding their departmental powers the
management Of the army and navy by the
Presidents, who serve only for short
periods, would never reach to details
would be reduced 10 minimum, and the
amy and navy would In reality be govern
ing themselves. To this a jealous
people have never agreed on the
contrary, they have expressly and care
fully guarded against such system;
they will never submit to it; and any
efforts to establish it by encroachments up
the powers which have been deliberately
conferred upon the departments will only
result In reactiona:y popular sentiment,
and in congressional legislation hostile to
the army and navy.
To whatever disposition there is in the
army and navy to encroach upon the civil
control Of the two military establishments
is to be mainly attributed the opposition to
extending the sphere OF the officers and
men OF those services to all appropriate
works Of time of peace, which undoubtedly
should be committed to the army on the
land, to the navy on the ocean. Important
aud indispensable governmental work is
now carried on by civilian employees
which could be more appropriately
II
bodies. There is also constant effort
making to introduce and maintain civil
employees within the army aud navy. This
struggle should cease. The army and
navy, as such, should be made wholly mill
tary, and used In all governmental work
which they can with propriety and dignity
perform. No attempt should be made to
Intervene civilians all along the line OF the
military organizations. The civilian influ-
enGe should come In at the top, In the per-
sons of the Cabinet ministers with suitable
civilian assistants, controlling the whole es-
tahlishment in accordance with the pOpu-
lar will. This is the normal condition of
the army and navy of republic, and will
surely prevail In this country.
The control and issue Of the navy orders
ly the chief OF the bureau Of navigation is
rot and will not be beneficial or satisfactory
10 the navy itself. 1t needs no long demon
stratiOn to prove that 1t will not be benef-
cal. To substitute in the direction Of the
navy for the Secretary OF the Navy, who Is
the direct representative of the President
ind cCmmander-in-chief, and in daily inter
course with him, line officer Of the grade
Of captain is contrary to every principle Of
military government, and is destructive Of
military order and discipline. II the office
Of the Secretary is to be blotted out, or he
is to be helpless figurehead, the only sys-
tom which the navy would for any length
Of time tolerate would be the exercise OF
command by the admiral, the highest officer
in the service: and even he would not think
Ct assuming the function until he had
organized full, fair, and efficient staff Of
accomplished officers to aid him in dis
charging wisely and to the satisfaction OF
thc navy those Duties Of command which