The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-06-25
Jay, JUNE 10, 1soO.
TWENTY-SIX PAGES.
LET THE FIGHT 90 ON.

The Washington Post though profess
ing independence In matters political. is
in reality thick and thin organ of the
Mckinley administration. 1t has come to
be understood as speaking by inspiration,
as it were from the White House, and as
a rule has been quick to resent any and
all criticism of the powers that be at the
National capital
But the Post is in trouble now. It has
peculiar fondness for Admiral schley,
and early in the action became committed
to defense of the hero OF Santiago against
a Shiny conspiracy of the navy depart
ment. Having gone into the fight. the
general supposition that the president Is
to some extent at least a party to this
conspiracy has not perceptibly weakened
the ardor of the great admral's valiant
champion, Indeed, the Washington con-
temporary appears to have assumed the
aggressive and seeks vlciously to counter
on Secretary Long and his very subseryient
o-eonsplrators OF the navy department.
The Post says;
Since this seems to be tho season for open
ing old sores and ripping up old scandals, why
should we not take another look Into the
matter of that purchase OF the steamer Mer-
rimao by the navy department last summer
Very little has been said about the incident
sinoa Sampson conceived the brilliant idea d
sinking the Aertlmae in the entrance to Snnti
ago bay, ald thereby indefinitely prolonginI
Spanish occupation of that point. But i
resurrection 10 to be the order of the day, /
seems TO us that we may probably raise thu
Merrimac at his time and Inspect her an'
her history.
We reeail rather unpleasant rumor abou
year ago in this connection. Gossip was L
the -efieet tina, the Merrimac was mot subject
ed to the usual inspection, although YER
competent board OF navy officers sat In Ney
York for Just such purposes, Gossip, indeed
had been nromntlv reteetad ne unaeeentabls
and that inquiry at the registry office IN tn
New York custom house showed tho Merrl
mao to q Worth less than one-halt the sun
asked lor Dy The parties seeking to sell her L
the government IL was alleged indeed, tina
the Nerrlmac was carefully withdrawn frou
tho board regularly commissioned 10 pro
rounc1 upon vessels offered for sale, an
quietly toNed or otherwise removed from Ne,
York TO Baltimore. where committee espe
cally constituted to meet the emergency pro
ncuncet favorably upon her merits. As re
suit. she was bought by the navy departmen
for somethn9 more than Si50,00O. as the stor,
goes, wnllo the sworn statements OF her own
ors file in tho New York registry office pu
her value at less than Si5oOoO.
TherN may OF may not be any connection
between the ugly rulnors that were nyini
about year ago md Admiral Sampson's &c
lection OF the Merrimac a good ship q
SINK IN tue santiago channel. But 10 viii d
no harm to raise that hgh-priced pieco o
property--m Pckwlcl,ian sense, at least
and put her somewhere we'll up In the list o
scandals TO be investigated VIII Secretar
Long issue int necessary orders?
Aside from the heated controversy which
has served to provoke this rather remark.
able editorial utteranee from close organ
of the administration, the article in ques.
ton is interesting to the average honest
American citizen as being indicative of the
hope that some very ugly scandals may bC
probed to the bottom in the Interest Of
honesty and common decency. It Is ar
old adage that when thieves fall GU
honest men get their dues" May this moi
be changed to read: when the admits.
tration henchmen get to throwing mud the
administration skeletons may break Out
of their closets?"