New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-10-17
4 POLITICAL CONSPIRACY.

great indulgence by his political adversaries.
When he went to Washington he was consid-
cred by competent judges to be the strongest
man in the Presidents Cabinet. Besides hav-
ing many attractive traits which endeared him
to a large circle Of adnlring friends, he was
credited with administrative ability, political
capacity, sound judgment in public affairs and
an unusual power of discerning the practical
aspects of questions of the day. We readily ac-
cepted his appointment as a guarantee that the
Navy Department would be conducted on
sound business principles and that he would do
much to promote the efficiency of the depart
ment and to introduce c0mmon-senSe reforms.
His first public act seemed to justify these eX-
pectations and we took great pleasure in COM
mending his vigorous measures on the 18TH
mus. Certainly no Cabinet officer in recent
times has had a larger opportunity for dlstln-
gushing himself as genuine administrative
refoImer. There was new navy to be Dullt'
and all publc-spirited Americans wanted IL.
There was a great branch of the public service
to be reorganized and adapted to the new con-
ditions; and every seIf-respectng officer IN
that service was anxious to have the work well
doue 1t was clearly within the Secretary's
power to make a great reputation as the creator
and organizer of new navy which would be
creditab'e to the Nation and promote the inter
ests of American commerce.
The Washington letter published on another
page gives a succinct account of the Secrctarys
misuse aud neglect of a magnificent opportu-
nifty. We ask our readers to take that letter
and to digest it paragraph by paragraph ana
then to give Judgment dispaselonateiy on the
facts therein presented. The Administrations
dealings with the contractor who was building
the first fOur vessels for the new navy nave oc-
cupicd much space in the press during the last
seven months, and the judgment OF the public
has been somewhat confused by the desultory
manner in which the subject has been dis
cussed. But when connected history OF these
transactions is presented. fair-mnded men can
have only one opinion respecting the outcome
of the Secretary's reform Administration.
Instead of helping to build new navy, he has
rejected one vessel which competent experts
had accepted he has stopped work On the
three cruisers by driving the contractor into
bankruptcy and he has multiplied the difficult
ties and vastly increased the expense OF the ad-
ditiopal vessels which he is authorized to con-
struct Instead OF recognizing the service and
promoting its efficiency, he has arrayed one
BODY of experts against another, discrcdted
the designers of the Dolphin and the cruisers
and fostered dissension and jealousy in the De-
partment. Instead of introducing practical re-
forms. he has deliberately made war upon the
shipbuilding industry.
Now ii is easy to perceive why the Secretary
has disappointed public expectation. We arc
willing to give him credit for good motives at
the outset and for a sincere desire To be precise
and busincss-like in the management of his De
partnent. His bitterest opponent does not sus-
pect that he entered Office with a malcyOlent
intention of running John Roach. No; the Sec
rotary has simply been unable to resist the tre-
mendous pressure brought to bear upon him
through the Democratic press. That press had
been dcnOulcing for years Republican almlnls-
tration of that department as incompetent ana
corrupt. Now that the Democratic party was
ut last in power, exposures were unfortunately
demanded. The Secretary felt this pressure
and yielded to it. He knew that he was cX-
pected TO make great hit at the expense OF his
predecessor and of that thorough going Repnb-
lican and Pr0tectionist, John Roach. So he
proceeded to discr6dit everybody connected
with the existing contracts for new ships; the
naval experts who had designed them, super
yised every detail of their construction and ac-
cepted one of them as entirely satisfactory; tho
contractor W hose bids for the four vessels had
been 1915, 1000 below those of any other COM
pettor; ana Secretary Chandler, who in draw
ing the contracts had acted upon the advice of
the most Competent officials IL the service. The
past management Of the Department was to be
condemned and held up to public oblo1uy.
| Al L.. ,c.I
this partisanship stcrnly demanded it. There
must be reform on the cheap, even if John
| Roach went to tho wall and discharged his
| $500 skilled mechanics and American COM
merce received staggering blow. 1t was a
poitica! necessity that involved what in
evitably became political conspiracy. Instead
of creating new navy and reforming the scr
vice, the Secretary entered into one of the
meanest and most partisan prosecutions ever
| known in American public life.
| -----