The herald., 1898-07-13

sonal pride or pique. but there y no po-
sition 10 which men are placed where re-
ward 20 quickly follows harmonious CO.
operation as in the movements Of vessels
and large bodies of men. The absence
Of respect. confidence and sympathy
qualities that should distinguish the rela-
tons Of ranking officer and subordinates-
is a menace to the command and, the
cause. The best results cannot be looked
for when this condition obtains. At
critical periods It becomes positive peril.
It is today greatly embarrassing the adj
ministration. although 1t is not so OBJ
vious that the administration is not pri-
marily the cause.
A resolution Of thanks to Commodore
Schley, for his brilliant achievement In
the destruction Of Cervera's feet, intro
duced in the closing hours of congress,
was antagonized and practically defeated
by friends of Sampson, who claimed that
the honor belonged to him. or should be
shared with him. although 1t is historical
ly true that he was far away from the
scene Of the naval battle, and did not ar
rive with the flag ship in time to aid in
the hammering Of the hostile vessels.
Nor is it conceivable that he could have in
any way inspired the plan Of attack, since
Cervera's purposes. in general or in par
ticular, could have been known to no one
outside the harbor.
Sampson, however, was prompt to
claim the credit, and in his official dis
patch on the nations birthday he omitted
all mention of Schley and the. part-he
played in the tragedy. The latter is SUBJ
ordinate, and his reports are made to
Sampson, rather than to the war depart
ment direct. He is helpless in the prem
ises, or at least would be but for the pro-
verbal respect which the American peo-
pie have for fair play, upon which the
gallant commodore can fall back.
The controversy as to whom belongs the
credit has been in fierce progress In the
newspapers since the facts have devel-
oped, and not until yesterday did Schley
break his silence, and then only to re-
mark. in a modest way, to the cores
pondent of the New York World, that
the credit belongs to all of the officers and
men of the squadron"
That will not hurt it's author, nor will 1t,
on the other hand, serveto close the breach
between him and his superior in COM
mand, with whom he should be in the
most perfect accord, in entire sympathy
and reciprocal attitude.
In the other branch Of the service, too,
a similar lack of harmony is painfully evil
dent. General Shafter is operating
against Santiago under written instruc-
tions from the secretary Of war, and al
though General Miles is now on the
ground, he Is but figurehead, having
been practically stripped of authority be-
fore leaving Washington. Humiliating,
indeed, must it be to the ranking officer of
the United States army to read in the
newspapers obviously inspired kilograms
such, as appeared in yesterdays news re-
ports, and to this effect:
It Is not to be understood that Gen.
eral Miles is to supersede General
Shafter in command of the United
States forces before Santiago. General
Shafter is operating there under the
written instructions from the secretary
of war, approved by the president, and,
so long as he is able physically to d.
rect the troops, he will retain the COM
mand.
With Sampson and Schley and Miles
and Shafter at cross purposes. the coun-
try may not anticipate the best possible
results, unless the proverbial Yankee good
luck shall serve to minimize the peril that
turks in the footsteps Of characterization
and lax discipline.