The times., 1898-12-15
The Reward ofpene..

The House Committee on Naval Affairs
has agreed to report favorably a bill
creating the two grades of admiral and
vice admiral. though with the strange
provision that they shall lapse with the
death of the first incumbents That the
navy as it is TO be will require an adj
miral and more than>one vice admiral is
4 matter of course and il is to be hoped
the Senate will strike out the limitation
clause However, the primary object of
the bill is not so much to meet the re-
quirements of the navy, as to reward Ad-
miral Dewey. and, this makes the inclu-
sion of the second grade in this particu
lar measure Objectionable. Congress has
or navy. but can only create positions to
be filled by the President, though on one
occasion it was suggested that Congress
should recommend the appointment of a
particular man. 1t is understood, of
course. that the creation of the grade of
admiral is to enable the President to re-
ward the gallant Dewey, whose mar
velous exploit in Manila Bay and sub
sequent judicious care for American in
and set the American heart afame with
enthusiasm. 1t is because his service has
been so conspicuous, because he
stands so entirely alone, that there
should have been a bill exclusively de-
voted to his reward If there were any
other naval hero whose work and re-
sponsibilities were at all commensurate
with those of Dewey-a hero about whose
merits there could be no disagreement
and whose name would occur spontan-
eously TO the President and the people
for the second reward-there would be
nothing TO urge against this bill.
But the reason for including the grade of
vice admiral in the Dewey bill is obvious.
II serves the double purpose of dimming
the glory of Dewey and OF allowing the
influence of the Administration to accom-
plish the undeserved promotion of IA
vorite. 1t is well known that the press
of the country, almost unanimously. and
presumably the people. believe that there
are several officers of the navy, notably
Schley, Clark and Philip who are more
entitled to recognition for their services
than the man it Is expected the President
will name. Indeed. if Sampson had less
of his mysterious power at the Navy De-
partment, his conduct would have been
the subject of a court of inquiry perhaps
of court-martial, rather than of the re-
ward which it is proposed to bestow on
him. Knowing what the feeling about
Sampson is his friends could hope for
such promotion only by making the
honor to Dewey depend on it. Because
the bill is primarily intended for Dewey,
no member of Congress would like to op-
pose it. Therefore it is expected that
rather than seem to throw an obstacle in
| the way of the Just reward of that su-
perlative hero, Congress will enact the
| measure even when it knows it will be
used to discriminate in favor of one of
| two officers about the relative value of
whose services there is dispute-in ia
vor of the particular one who is believed
| by most people to have attempted to rob
| the other of his hard-won laurels Or If
there should be a fight against this un-
| fair scheme, it will be made to mar the
| Dewey, who has achieved more glory
than it was intended anybody but the
| President should win.
Since there is controversy as to the
naval officer next in merit of achievement
| to Dewey-a controversy between the peo-
pie on the one hand and the Navy Depart
ment on the other-there would be every
warrant for bill to provide for the crea-
ton of the grade of admiral, leaving the
L
willing to trust to the President to de-
eide fairly between those who should be
| considered In the selection of vice adj