The times., 1897-06-30
MARINE OFFICERS PROTEST.
NomIuation of McCawley to BE
Captain Angers Them.

Captain Angers Them.
President Mckinley will not obtain much
popularity in the Marine Corps of the
United states by his Nomination of Charles
4. AcCawley, civilian, to be captain
IN the corps. As The Times stated
yesterday, the President, III making this
nomination., deliberately ignored the claims
OF thirty first lieuteDauts and thirteen
second fieutenants, whose terms OF service.
dating from the tine of their entrance
to tine Naval Academy are none of thern
under six years, and each of them is
eligible to the appointments. In fact
every one of them, it is said made appIi-
cation for appointment to the vacancy.
None OF u.s. said a first lieuteilau5
last night, who has been in the service
a dozen years, would have felt jealous
or as If we had not received our rights IL
the President had made promotion in
stead OF an appointment from civil life
If SUI Gu course is TO be pursued what
eneoura cement have the men? We at
tended the academy at Annapolis, grad,.
ated, studied hard sin ce then to prepare
us for promotion, and God knows the
chances come slow enough, and then
when there is a chance TO promote both
g first and second lieutenant, the Presi-
dent takes away the opportunity and fills
the vacancy by appointing man over
US who does not know a sword from Il
bayonet.
1T is sixteen years since I entered
she academy, and I am said to be fully
qualified for promotion Do you, or does
anyone believe that Mr. McCawIey is
qualified TO be captain, or that he
can make h himself fitted for the RESPONSE
bilities OF the office without months OF
hard study and service?
.'Just fancy this club and ballroom ia
vorite in uniform TO-DAY. at the head OF
a company on paradel He would not
know the difference between a command
to march and one TO halt. In my opinion,
no President ever did worse thing for
the Marine service than Mr. Mckinley has
done in making this nomination. He has
discouraged fifty hard wor king Officers,
aud thereby worked an injury to disci-
piine, and has also taken from us a
right which we have morally, If not Ie-
galIy, and ! believe the appointment is
Illegal and contrary to the statutes. The
President VIII find that his action viii
not be approved by either the Navy or
if the Senate will stand such an arbitrary
act. I fully expect to see the Senate re-
fuse to confirm the nomination., or the
President, convinced OF its Injustice to
the officers OF the Marine Corps, with
draw it,
When questioned about hts nomination
TO be captain, Mr. McCawIey said yesterday:
81 was aware that there was some an
tagonisIn against me, and / am rather
surprised that the matter has beer made
public It is not the first time that a
civilian has been appointed, by any me ms
The statement that men have been wait
ing twenty years or mere for pruiuBtion
is wholly untrue. The one wao has Wait
ed longest was made a lieutenant IN July,
1888. just fourteen years ago. I have
hele imposition as clerk 10 the cefnmaEfiant
longer than that. The section In the Re
yised Statutes which has been referred
to aSproof OF ns y ireligibiiity for tire E;see
was plainly superseded by the act of
August 8, 1892, in lieu OF section I593.r'
Mr. McCawleY said that the judge advo-
cate general. iii an opinion has stated
that this latter act has superseded the
former He added that he had been
inaoEseH fer the captaincy by Secretary
Long. Senator's EIllns, Hale and others
besides number OF CongressnleE, and that
the President was personally iutersSfs.l IN
hts appointment.
Charles L. McGawley's chief claim 70
such pronounced recognition as the Presi-
dent has given him Is in the fact that he
isa nernberof the Metropolitan Club, where
b. frequently meets Assistant Secretary
Roosevelt; also OF the Chevy base Cln.1 aud
the Washington Golf Club, md the afitii-
toaaI fact that his father and other rein tives
have served in the Marine Corps as officers