The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-01-14
NAVAL PERSONNEL BILL.
An Amendment Will Be offered tC
Abolish Prize Money.
WHO Is THE HERO OF sANT1AGop

Congressman Berry, of Kentucky,
Evokes Enthusiasm In Claiming the
Honor For Admiral schley, to Whom
lie Pays Poetic Tribute.
Washington. Jan. 14.-The house yes
terday entered upon the consideration
of the naval personnel bill. 1t develop
ed much less opposition than was an
ticipated, and the indications are that
II viii have a large majority when II is
placed upon its passage. The last yes
tige of opposition to the measure from
the line officers of the navy was remov-
ed when an amendment was adopted
designed to prohibit staff officers, upon
whom the bill confers positive rank,
from exercising command save in their
own corps. The committee also assert
ed their purpose to offer an amendment
to repeal the law giving prize money
to the navy, and this announcement
met with warm approval The speeches
on the bill yesterday were filled with
glowing illusions 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 Santiago Mr.
Berry made the first allusion ~on the
floor of the house to the mooted ques-
tion as to who was responsible for the
victory over Cervera's fleet. He said:
Il believe the bill viii remove con
flict. and If there IS any country where
there is a necessity for the removal Of
conflict in the army or the navy II is
the United States / think we had a
magnificent phase of the conflict in the
army service of the United States pre-
sented in the papers today, and whether
II will end In duel or not / do not
know. but it shows there is a very con-
siderable amount of friction in the
army of the United States. There was
some conflict among the officers in the
navy in the greatest battle of the war,
the greatest battle Of modern times.
because it demons rates the character
of the men and the vessels that were
engaged in 1t, and there is no doubt in
the mind 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
of the glorious triumph he won on the
Sd day of July, 1895"
In this connection Mr.. Berry read
the following poem, amid 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 1t Schley?
Who was it, when shot and screaming
shell
g,,t, t,.,1I
Steamed into the thlckest of the fray
His good ship leading all the way
While the roar of his guns shook the
earth and sky:
Say, was it Sampson. or was 1t Schley9s
In American hearts who holds first place
OF those who claim part in that glorious
chase?
Whose name stood out on that proud day.
AS the hero of Santiago bay?
In letters of gold, write that name on
high;
| Shall we write 1t Sampson, or write it
Schley?
"I say il would be written Schley,"
! continued Mr. Berry, and then l say
! there should be provision of law that.
| whether it goes to Schley or Sampson,
no prize money should be paid to the
men who have won that glorious
achievement, but that the provision for
! prize money ought to be wiped off the
| statute books. l say that the men who
made that magnificent charge at San
| Juan hill in all aspects of this case are
as much entitled to fake Santiago as
a reward for their services as the men
! who sank Cervera's ships"
| In the senate Mr.. McLaurin, of South
| Carolina, took strong ground in care
fully prepared speech against policy
of expansion by this country. He cited
as one of the principal reasons why
the United States should not assume
dominion over peoples who are widely
6issimilar to the people of this country,
the experience of the south with the
negro race. He advocated the adop-
ton of the Vest resolution, declaring
that this country could not maintain
| permanently as colonies such territory
as the Philippines. and held that 1t
would be in opposition to the spirit of
American institutions to do so.