New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-05
SFCPFTIRY WHJTNEY'S REPORT

/
| Secretary Whtneys report has been heralded
in advance by the Democratic press as a con-
servative document. So it is. 1t is so cautions.
wary and apologize rs to indicate depression
of spirits. There ale no startling surprises in
it of any kind The Secretary evidently has
reached the sensible conclusion that he has made
enough mistakes in the course of nine months
to exhaust even the average Democratic capa-
city for laundering and that he cannot afford to
| go on as he has begun. He is anxious to turn
| over a new leaf, to make fresh start and to
| have all the old scores settled and put out OF
| sight He is weary Of the unfortunate contro-
VERSES in which his reputation as Cabinet
officer of marked administrative capacity has
been seriously impaired If we can read be-
tween the lines of this report, he is determined
to retrieve his disasters by conservative
course by a diligent use of future opportunities,
and by carefully conciliating his critics in and
out of the department.
The account which the Secretary gives of his
relations with Mr.. Roach is, of course, an adrOit
defence of his own extraordinary quest for
political capital on behalf of the new Aumlnis-
tration 1t is a skiful recital in which he
ostentatiOusy attempts to be just to Secretary
Chandler, the Advisory Board and the bank
rupt contractor; and it is needless to add that
he takes very good care of his chief clent-un-
fortunately also the chief otlender-hlmsclf.
But when this ingenious story of his disastrous
naval campaign is told, the utter failure OF one
of the meanest and most diSgracefu political
prosecutions in the annals of American history
is frankly adpitted. The outcome OF his per-
sstent attempts to cast diSCredit upon the
Advisory Board, to impeach the methods OF his
predecessor and to ruin John Roach is the
completion of the unfinished cruisers IN the
bankrupt's yards and the acceptance of the Dol
phin. Tie even blurts out the fact that the last
vessel, which has been the occasion of so much
wrangling. is not to be carried into court, as
has recently been understood. He has taken
measures, he states, to ascertain whether the
Dolphin is well built, and if he can be satisfied
on this point, " the other matters can be settled
by agreement or arbitration out OF court" So
there is not to be a case for the Court OF Claims
after all The Secretary has no desire to hear
ANYTHING more about the Dolphin. He has no
time for lawsuit lie prefers to take the
vessel and drop the subject.
There are two important admissions in the
Secrctary's report which we cannot pass over in
silence. The first is the statement that if a ship
be designed by the Government, the contractor
can be held responsible for correct construction
but not for the performance of the vessel. This
is a correct principle, and we are glad the Sec
retaIy at last adopts it as his own. If he had
perceived nine months ago that the Govern
ment experts were responsible for the design
and the performance of the Dolphin, and that
Mr.. Roach could only be held accountable for
| correct construction, he would not have entered
upon his Inflated warfare upon American ship
building. The second point is the Secretary
admission that it had been tor some time no
secret in the Navy Department that Mr.. Roach
was in financial difficulties. If this was known
when che Secretary struck the first blow
at the contractors credit, 50 much the worse for
those who added to those embarrassments and
completed his ruin. That is "A very dangcrOu,
confession for the Secretary to make. 1t Is
/ equivalent to saying that it was known that the
| man whom he drove into bankruptcy was weak,
| and could easily be ruined.
Secretary Whitney recurs with pleasure to
the Isthmus episode, as he has a right to do.
! His action in that instance was prompt, decisive
and well considered, and deserI ed public COM
mendation. His reflections upon the organlza-
! ton of the department and the defects OF the
service are weighty, and worthy OF more serious
! consideration than we can give them at this
| time. We believe that the Secretary will make
a great effort during the remainder Of his term
| To fulfil the high expectations entertained by
! his friends when he entered upon Office. We
certainly hope so, and shall not hesitate to com
mend his course and support his policy when
ever it is possible to do