The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-15
JOHN ROACH BaD MIR. WHITNEY.

infamous treatment given John Roach & Son,
the greatest of American hip-builders, forced
into bankruptcy for the purpose of making
capital for the Democratic party in general
and for Secretary Whitney in particular.
Now that the dispatch-boat Dolphin has
proved all that could be asked, apparently
perfect vessel Of the ind it was intended
to be, the Sun, unable to urge further objec-
ton to its acceptance, falls to personally abus-
ing all who have had the courage to denounce
this outrage apparently unmindful of the fact
that abuse is not argument. Unless the
champions of the Secretary of the Navy are
| willing to admit that he was biased by parti-
san prejudice so that he could
not deal impartially with the Messrs
Roach on the merit Of their work as ship
| builders, it must be claimed and admitted
that the conduct of this, that or the other
man, official or personal, had absolutely
| nothing to do with the matter in hand. IF
Secretary Robson had picked up the navy
and carried it home for dog kennel or had
scuttled down some back alley with it under
his arm and sold it for old junk, it would
have been very reprehensible thing, and he
should have suffered the consequences. But
the conduct Of Mr.. Robson, even on Demo
cratic evidence, is wholly irrelevant to the
contract between John Roach & Son and the
government. The great ship-builders under
| took to construct certain naval vessels, &C.
cording to plans and specifications fur
nished. Before the contract work was
complete a change took place
! in the administration, and party unfriendly,
not to say hostile, to John Roach & Son came
into control of public affairs. At that time
the Dolphin was nearly completed. Submit
ted to the inspection of the dude Secretary Of
the Navy, man who knows infinitely more
| about fine champagne than fine ships, it was
condemned, while the Democratic press, for
reasons perfectly underst TODD, raised con-
certed howl against the gentlemen who built
it. The pitiful plea that the Secretary was
anxious only to insist on good workmanship
and to see that the interests of the govern
ment were properly guarded, was shown to be
the veriest hypocrisy at every step. The
most trivial happenings incident to the first
working of any new machinery were magni-
fled into evidences of structural weakness, and
Jo%a 10 how
palpable that the concerted yell of the admin
istration press could not conceal it. Not con-
tent with this, and allowing no time or oppor-
tunity to remedy insignificant matters in the
machinery of the Dolphin, the Secretary
rushed off to the Attorney general and OBJ
tanned the partisan decision that left no hon
orable way for John Roach & Son to act but
| to go into bankruptcy for the benefit of their
| bcndsmen and creditors.
Despite this evident determination to Grip
pie and destroy this great firm, the Sun now
has the audacity to say that "a vast majority
| of Republicans and Democrats agree in believ-
| ing that Mr.. Whitneys course toward Mr..
| Roach has been businesslike, just and con-
siderate." IL there has been sane and hon
orable Republican in any quarter Of
this land who, from first to last,
has approved of this studied
infamy we have yet to hear Of him. If final
convincing proof of the dishonorable charac-
| ter of this most contemplate partisan hostil-
ity be needed, it may be found in the fact
that the Dolphin, exactly as predicted by the
builders, has proved perfectly seaworthy, a
credit alike to the builders and to the Ameri-
since Mr.. Whitney pronounced against it last
summer, when he hurriedly took action that
| impaired the credit and fame of John Roach
& Son. and drove them into bankruptcyg So
far as known, not screw has been added,
nor one removed. The vessel in every detail
| is exactly the same it was then. Yet then it
was "a clumsy old tub" that would sink the
first time it put to sea-" and this
opinion, cooked up for the occasion,
was unhesitatingly echoed by hostile press
all over the country, and by editors who
couldn't tell dispatch boat from captains
gig. The conspiracy was understood by all,
and the eagerness with which it was entered
into betrayed the desperate determination of
| its managers, against whom, under the cir
cumstances, there was no standing out. They
had the power to destroy this great firm, and
meant to exercise it.
The Journal, in common with Republican
papers everywhere, was prejudiced in favor OF
American industries, and wanted to believe
! hhnE CHI hull Lore oo,,ld