Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-07-30
THE CADETSHlP.
TIL LLIGENCBR's" NALICIOUSPALsB
HOOD EXPOSED.
Hon. John 0. PsndlstOn's Appointment has Not Been
Ignored" as the "Intslligsncsr" Slated
The Truth Of the Matter.
Yesterday mornings InteHigencer con-
tanned the following upon its local nage

Yesterday mornings IHtetngencer con-
tanned the following upon its local page:
"The news was received in this city from
Washington last evening that Secre airy of the
Navy Tracy had appointed as cadet In the
United States Naval Academy at Annapolis from
the First West Virginia Congressional District
Guy T. Scott, of Wheeling, the son OF state SEN
This announcement will doubtless cause gen
eral surprise, but to those familiar with All the
circumstances surrounding the case II VIII re
source Of lively satisfaction that secretary
Tracy ignored the recommendation Of
Tohn O. Pepdleton for this appointment. HAD
Mr.. Atkinson obtained the Certificate TO when
he was justly entitled, this appointment WouIu
probably have been recommended by him In
ali respects il is all emineDtly fitting one"
The chief motive for usheriDg this item
into the newspaper world seems to have
been the opportunity it afforded the Intel
iqeneer to indulge in another Of its gener-
ally ill-timed and always malicious slurs
upon either the personal character or polit-
ical reputation of Hon. John o Pendleton.
The news feature could have had little or
nothing to do with the publication, for,
aside from the fact that Mr.. Guy I. Scott
has been appointed to q Osdetship ct An
napolis, there does not seem to he sOli-
tary statement Of fact in the publication
here reproduced, and so evidently was the
item written for the essential purpose of
casting stigma upon Mr.. Pendletop, and
so paIpable were the miscellaneous made,
that there was general Indignation yester-
day among fair-minded gentlemen Of ell
political beliefs.
A reporter for the REGISTER yesterday
asked Mr.. Pendleton whether be intended
to pay any attention to the Inteligencer's
statement In reply, he said that at first
be had intended to have noticed the sffAir,
but that Senator Scott had called upon him
esrly in the day, and made courteous
and geutlemanly apology for the behavior
of the paper, and had stated that he would
take il upon himself to see that the Htelf
qencer corrected it, and made an apology
for it's misstatements. Mr.. Scott made a
personal request of him that be pay no at.
tention to the matter, and under the cir
cumstances lie was inclined to lie. the mat
ter drop.
A history of the Csdetship from this dis
trict and the facts concerning the appoint
ment o! Mr.. Guy 7. Scott are here apprO-
PIRATE:
In the month of May, 1889, Master Guy
T. Scott resigned his position as Naval
Cadet to Annapolis from the First Con-
gressional District of West Virginia. His
reason for go doing have not been pub
liahed in the REGISTER at the request of
Mr.. PendletOn. Immediately upon the
resignation OF Mr.. Scott, the Secretary of
Of the Navy, Hon. B. F. Tracy, az required
by law, at once wrote to Mr.. PendletOn,
the Congressman from this District, re-
questing him to make an appointment to
fill the vacancy. Mr.. Pendleion decided to
submit the place to general competition
of the District, permitting Ill to compete
regardless of politics. lie selected board
composed of three Democrats end three
Republicans, all gentlemen Of high charac
ter and standing, 10 examine. the.appicants.
OF these gentlemen, four, two Republic
cans and two Democrats, conducted the
examination, and after passing upon
the merits OF ell tie competitors, made a
report unanimously recommending John
S. Doddridge as standing highest and as
hest qualified. 10 this report the absent
Democratic member concuTred. Mr.. PEN
dleton, without delay, recommended Mr..
DOddridge, and within five days thereafter
received from the Secretary Of the Navy and
delivered to Mr. DoddIidge his appoint
ment 10 Annapolis. The Secretary Of the
Navy has never revoked this appointment,
nor has he tried so to do. The Secretary
has doubtless been influenced by several
reasons. In the first place he is a gentle
MAJ, and in the second place he has no
power in the matter. The place 10 not in
his gift but in that of Mr.. Pendlet0D, en-
item Of fact that ia known very generally,
except in the LteHigencer ofiiee.
There are two ways in which Mr.. Scotps
appointment to Annapolis may have come
about, and stories to both effects we're in
circulation yesterday.
The President Of the United States has
the privilege of making ten appointments
at large, and Mr. Scott may have received
his appointment directly through Pfesi-
dent Harrison. II is the custom OF the
Executive, however, TO reserve these ap-
pointments for the sons Of officers high in
naval circles, or as reward for exceptional
services among the rank end file OF the
navy, ETC., ana it is improbable that the
appointment came IN this way. It is more
likely that the appointment came through
the other channel, which may be explained
az follows:
There are three hundred AID twenty
five Congressional Districts ia the Union,
and Naval CAdetship FIR each district.
The appointment for the District ia
made by the Congressman from the dis
tTict.
Mr.. Guy 7. Scott competed for the ap-
polutment from this District, but rot lead
in the race, through his standing was very
good, the Board recommended the fore
most in the race, Mr.. Doddridge, to our
Congressman, as has been stated. Sena-
tor Scott, who is credited with knowing a
good thing when he sees it, and not liking
that his son should lose such prize, it is
supposed, at once cast about for an open
ing, and seeing vacancy, in the
Second Congressional District Of
Nebraska, where the Congressman had
neglected TO make an appointment, be re-
quested the Secretary of the Navy to sp-
appoint his son from Nebraska to fill the
vacancy there. Under the law where the
Congressman fails to appoint the Secretary
can fill the vacancy. Thus By rare good
luck the First district has two cadetships,
one representing the First district in the
person of John 8. Doddridge, aud the
other probably representing one Of the
Nebraska districts in the person OF Guy I.
Scott.