The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-11-16
THE GOSSIP OF GOTHAM.
Some Sensational Developments Of
the Stanton Incident
The Squatter Mysterious Wis
its OF Presidents Confidant-Built
His House TO Help Trade-Fortuncs
Made Amid SqualOr.
COPYRIGHT. 1921

COPYRIGHT 1898
The unpleasant eminence which the
humiliation OF Rear Admiral Stanton,
for his conduct in saluting Mello, has
brought upon that meritorious officers
name is being used by various United
States navy lights to air their particu-
lar heart burnings. Indeed, there is
quite little conspiracy afoot to make
the contemplated court-martial, or
should the court-martial be not or
dered, the investigation" pretext
for washing in public about all the
dirty linen that has been accommodating
aboard our men-o'-war for the past five
years.
1t was pointed out, when Stanton's
alleged error was first reported, that
the rear admiral had aboard several
naval experts who could have posted
him on the difficulty he was about to
get into. That is the very reason they
would not have posted him. Even if a
subordinate officer is anxious to pre-
vent the perpetration of a blunder, it is
as much as his dignity is worth aboard
ship to mention the fact to his supe-
rior. An American naval maguate on
one of the long cruises is a sort of
Louis XIV. He is the ship. No one
dare say word to him. To advise him
is presumption, and when he himself
asks advice it is merely a yelled re-
quest for some one to share the respon-
sibility of proposed rash proceeding.
This state of affairs has long been
an open humiliation to our naval ofn-
GERS, except to those highest in COM
mand. No one among them can. of
course. come out openly against the
system of repression from which they
suffer, but when such an opportunity
as the Stanton incident is afforded
there is a natural eagerness to profit
by it.
How are the wrongs of naval Off
GERS to be righted through the Stanton
incidcnt?" naval officer, prominent
in New York. was asked.
The subordinates to whom was in
trusted the duty of advising Stanton,
as the reports have it, will probably be
called upon to say something. If the
navy department. officials at Washing
ton suppose that those men have any
discretion whatever, they only show
how ignorant they are of what goes on
aboard our vessels on foreign stations.
Some rear admirals and commodores
maintain an absolute despotism. The
tyranny of their rule makes a vessel
almost floating inferno"
''And is Stanton among these naval
martinets?"
Il don't know anything about Stan
ton. only know that officers of hfs
rank need to learn that their snbordi-
mates do not belong to them body and
soul Admiral Tryon. of the British
navy, sacrificed his ship and the lives
OF his men rather than condescend to
be corrected. There are many men
like him in the American service.
Let me assure you," proceeded this
officer, earnestly, that the Stanton in
cident may mean portentous changes.
Some sensational developments may
come when the junior officers are
heard"
Other naval men are -loath TO discuss
the matter, particularly as the mention
Of their names publicly in this connec-
ton would result disastrously to them
selves. But that Stanton did a good
thing for others. if not for himself,
when he saluted Mello, there is no
doubt.