The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-14
THE HERO OF SANTIAGO
Berry of Kentucky Eulogizes
Schley in the House.
NAVAL PERSONNEL BILL
Little Doubt That the Much-N Needed Re.
form Measure Will Be Passed by
Large Majority - Expan-
sion in the Senate.

w aSHlnStOn, Jan. l3.-Tne house to-
| day entered upon the consideration of
| the naval personnel bill It develop
ed much less opposition than was an
| ticipated and the indications are that it
! will have a large majority when it is
| placed upon its passage tomorrow
The last vestige of opposition to the
| measure from the line officers of the
navy was removed to-day, when an
| amendment was adopted designed TO
| prohibit staff officers, upon whom the
bill confers positive rank, from cxer-
cising command save in their own
corps. The committee also asserted
their purpose to offer an amendment
tomorrow to repeal the law giving
prize money to the navy ana this an
nouncement met with warm approval
The speeches on the bill to-day We're
| filled with glowing allusions to the
glories of our naval victories in the
late war, and Mr.. Berry of Kentucky
created a great deal of enthusiasm by
his eulogy of Schley as the hero of San
tiago.
Under the special order adopted Mon
day last. the house went into a COM
mittee of the whole and proceeded to
consider the naval personnel bill.
All attempts to fix a time for the
conclusion Of general debate failed,
and Mr.. Foss, rep. ILL.,. who was in
charge of the bill. took the floor with
geAeral argument in support of the
measure. Since 1882 he said, we had
devoted ourselves to building a Lew
navy. but no attention had been paid to
the personnel of the navy. Men We're
as important as ships. The basis Of
tho I,
board of naval officers. at the head Of
which was the assistant secretary of
the navy, Theodore Roosevelt, and
composed of officers of the line and
staff. This proposed change in the per-
sonnel of the navy was revolutionary.
he admitted, but it was necessary to
keep pace with the wonderful evolution
| In the construction and nature of our
modern warships. The increase in the
number of officers provided by the bill
was SO. We had acquired 1873 additional
vessels during the war with Spain Be-
sides, 55 ships We're now under con-
struction. These vessels must be Off
cered. Mr.. Foss gave notice that he
intended, at the proper time, to offer
amendment to abolish prize mon
ey'' in the navy.
The voluntary retirement feature was
reinforced by the experience Of the war,
Its purpose was to give officers COM
mand rank at 45. Dewey was go at
Manila, but he had command rank a
S4, and it was his % years experience
in command that made him the bril-
liant victor at Manila. The same was
true of Sampson. Schley, Clark, Evans
and the other great sea captains of the
late war
Mr. Low. rep, N. Y, opposed the
amalgama tion of the line and engineer
corps Their duties We're widely dis
similar, he said, and the efficiency CT
the service would not be promoted by
their amalgamation Mr. Low said he
believed in specialized service. Its ad-
vantage had been demonstrated during
the late war when the engineer of the
Oregon had been able to force that
ship, during the pursuit of Cervera's s
fleet. beyond her rating.
Mr.. Dayton, rep, w. ", followed, in
support of the bill. He said an amend
ment providing that staff officers shall
not be entitled to command, except in
their own corps. would be offered.
Mr.. Simpson, pop. Kan, said the bill
seemed to him a measure for giving
naval officers larger salaries and more
honorable station He indorsed the fea-
ture of the bill which held out to en-
listed men the possibilities of commits
sions in the service. He would, he said,
open the door wide. and make it posi-
BILE for an enlisted man to rise to Tne
highest rank in the navy.
Mr. Berry, dem, KY. warmly sup
ported the bill. In the course of his re-
marks Mr.. Berry made the first allu-
sion on the floor of the house to the
mOoted question as to- who was respon-
sible for the victory over CerTera's fleet
at Santiago.
L believe the bill will remove con-
flict," he said. land if there is any
country where there is a necessity for
the removal of conflict in the army or
the navy it is the United States.
(Iaughter.) I think we have magni-
fcent phase of conflict in the army serv-
ice of the United States presented in the
papers this morning and whether it will
end in duel or not do not know: but
II seems that there is a very cOnsideN'~
able amount Of friction in the army of
the United States. There was some con-
fict among the officers in the navy in
the greatest battle in the war, the great
est battle of modern times, because it
demonstrated the character of the men
and vessels that We're engaged in it,
and there is no doubt in the minds of
the American people who is entitled to
the credit of that victory. But there
are people who are trying to steal away
from Schley the credit for the glorious
triumph he won on the Sd day of July,
1895"
following poem, amid a whirlwind of
laughter and applause:
When the Spanish fleet with full head |
way,
Dashed out of Santiago bay,
Taking the chances of death and |
wreck,
Who stood on a Yankee quarterback,
And marked the game with eagle eye? |
Say, was it Sampson, or was it Schley? |
daughter and applause)
who was it, when shot and screaming
shell
Turned Sabbath calm into echoing hell,
Steamed into the thickest of the fray.
His good ship leading all the way.
While the roar of his guns shook earth
and sky?
Say, was it Sampson or was it Schley?
daughter and applause)