New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-02
DISCIPLINE AND PRIVATE PIQTE.

rho Secretary Of the Navy has not forgotten
his resentment against Admiral Meade ana HIS
charrIn at having been unable to punish him ior
daring 10 have opinions not approved by Tie
Administration. Amid all the work OF mahas
ipg great department, the labor of building
now battleships the necessity Of watching OIL
cors 70 see that they do not write notes 10 PEI
sonal friends whose acquaintance the Secre,'''
h,soIf has not been fortunate enough to ENJOY
amid the cares of affordng protection to mis-
.,ororics in China and Turkey and mlzzlhe
suhordjpatcs who have knowledge OF Affairs III
1I.,rou This versatile Minister Of Marine has
found time TO nurse his disappointment ana i'y
mans for. the protection Of his majestic dish'N.
Accordingly. in his annual report he asks lor
LEGISLATION to close all possible loophoes VI -
cane for those officers VINO offend hin III" " va
able him to follow all the ramilicatohs Oh 'h''i
civil and private life. He wants 10 prihs 'N'i
ians within the reach Of martial law anu coihp''
them 70 assist him in maintaining dscipiihe' 1t
is not enough that all the machinery OF the Nav!
and the testimony Of Navy men may De uirec''o
against an offender Civilians also must De iii'uc
to hear witness of his expressions or opihioh' HIS
conversation at home or in his club, II II happen
that he IS suspected Of having said things Ill
those places which his superiors DO not ihe'
Whom Admiral Meade was goaded by his treat
mont into an outburst Of patriotism, the Admin
;strotion was unable to revenge itself upon hlm'
hovond making official record of its own I'M
notent anger at its lack Of legal power mere
uos nothinc that 4 court martial could get hold
Of The Admiral had performed all his oliiciai
drtios No man in the Department had Il word
of testimony to bring against him. ana wheh TIE
Secretary sought to drag in some CIVILIAN 10 "S-
tify 10 utteranccs which could be called IN qneS
tion he found himself unable 10 compel slch tes-
timony. So now he demands authority TO can
priyate citizens before his courts ana suDJect
them as witnesses to examination on SUBJECTS
concerning which no civil court dreams ltse1
empowered to make inquiry
This invasion of personal liberty is said 10 be
necessary to maintain Naval discipline mat
nropcr discipline should be maintained IS SELF
evident When one enters upon military duty he
s,rrenders some of the privileges OF civil life ana
srbects himself to stricter rules Of conduct than
are enforced in the case of private citizens. But
there is no reason why military authority should
become military despotism. our Navy is cen
tIry old Ii has been faithful servant. us OF
fcers have been an honor to their country ana
thpir calling. No Dillt Oh StlDIS III INV WIN" "''
q higher reputation renders more devoted ser
vice with less promise Of reward than that whlch
gives allegiance to the Stars and Stripes. Inc
same laws the same spirit, the same Navy winch
have made this splendid record exist to-day
Nothing Of these is changed. 1t is the ADMINS
tration that has changed. and If there is friction
II is that which makes it. Small wonder II men
trained in the old traditions find it hard to ac-
conmodltc themselves to new. When devotion
To the flag is openly dcrided and patriotism rs Il
sentiment instead OF Il policy based on mathe-
NAUTICAL calculation Of benefits to be derived Is
denounced as childish folly by those nearest the
men IN power, it is not remarkabl" that even
military discipline Is not always sufficient 10
curb Indignation. Patriots are men even before
they are warriors. The Government should nave
all proper power to maintain discipline, and II
any reasonable authority is lacking it should De
conferred Congress may well hesitate to change
laws which have been found entirely adequate III
times past particularly when the request is so
evidently prompted by personal resentment be-
fore any public considerations