The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-01
HIS FOOLISH FRIENDS
And How Their Friendly Folly
Has Got Schley
INTO A PECK OF TROUBLE
May lake an Inquiry to Settle
the Bridge" Incident

else. has at least been useful In eupnasiz-
ing four facts. The first b that a mans
reputation may suffer more at the hands
of his foolish friends than at those OF his
cleverest enemies.
Rear-Admiral Schley 70 the kind Of man
wGsYo draws about him more than his nor
NAL share of injudici0us admirers. He has
a genial manner, and a way OF saying
agreeable things. which please those per-
sons VITO come into contact with him, and
for that part OF the public who know him
only by reputation there b fascination
in his dramatic way II doing an ordinary
act. It will be recalled that many Of the
newspapers printed a statement, soon
after me was detailed TO the command of
the Flying Squadron. that the signal to be
given on setting sail was to be, 'Ramem-
Der the Matne!' Secretary Long took
prompt means TO contradict this report
with the intimation that the navy had a
solemn duty to perform, the dignity OF
which must not be sacrificed by any sug-
gestion Of an errand Of revenge. Yet
there Is good reason for saying that the
newspapers which printed the original re-
port had satisfactory authority for II. The
phrase ''fred the popular heart" as Il
was doubtless intended to do when invent
ed. Thousands upon thousands OF the sort
OF people who make a fetish OF wsr-criAs
and watch-words thought It splendid:
from the day It was first published II was
associated with Schley's name, and these
people cracked grim Jokes on the way
Schley would make the SpaniardS IRE
member the Maine" Just as early in tho
civil war we used to hear that Scott was
going to scotch the rebels" and that
Burnside would "burn their Sides with
hot lead. Naturally. all VINO had been
raised to a high pitch OF excitement by
hopes thus engendered watched TO see
Scslley strike the enemy some fearful blow.
Anything he might have done thereafter,
whether great or little. they would have
exalted IN imagination to accord with their
expectations
The naval action OF July provided the
opportunity. Whether Sampson had been
IN the thick OF the fight or not. schley
would probably have had a very large
share OF the credit for the result Accord
ing TO our national custom when any sue
cess has been achieved. the echoes 81 that
barrie rad hardly Died away before the
champions Of the various officers concern
cd In II fe'l to quarreIIing over who should
have the Hons share 81 praise.
As TO outward decorun. no Fault could
be found with schIAy's attitude at this
ftrncture. AGAIN. and again. ne repeated
that the credit was due 10 all fhe officers
ana men who took part in the fight. But
ms was not satisfactory to the seif-con-
st'tuied clapue Because the president and
Mo secretary ~ the navy awarded 10 re
off1cer In command OF the whole feet the
usuai tituiar iIonors Of virtorv. the Schi~v
contingent raised tremendous how-de-do
Not content WITH insisting that their IDOL
should have his individual herofsm re-
corded IN history AT its full value they
endeavored to help his caprse nv assailing
Sampson. II they had expected 70 throw
Sampson on his guard and lure HIN into
aonne folly nv this attack. they rnssunder-
stood the man. He bore their assaults
with quiet i'gnitv which proved ne Eoof
sense. and waited for events 70 show.
when the excitement was all over. that
the department hal sirnnlv given MIN his
technical due. Irn1uesronabiv schiev
would have followed the same course. ana
let the matter drou there. RAD $,ot his
friends insisted upon
keepSng the di~pute alive.
Presently there drifted into IRE P-Ass
what purported 10 re- ouo.a+hon from a
dialoene between sc1iev and ne naviVat-
ing ofic~r ~ the BROOKLYN. Lieut.. -Corm-
EodRson. This passage represent
"a Schiev as having isrusd. - = critical
turn IN the battle. an order wh'en 20 IRE
minds ~ his critics Indicated tha9 ne hsd
lost he heaf whe-4s- the ver- words
quoted were uttered. VII perhaps never he
settled ~ IRE satisfaction ~ evA-yboyiv.
Mr. FodgSon has made statement which
sAerns n confirm their substance - Mt
,heir form: and ire officer who was -
soonrFbIe for their publication. lieut.
Heiiner. ayers that hle Quota
ION was tust as Hcheson repeated the
- him. For this istss' phase
y the matter. Schlev appears. on ire sur
lace. 20 Re accountable. since :; would
never have come 70 IRht n he had MT
asked Hodgson 20 make a statement for
publication denvfnR the report AM e<cul-
,sting him. This request, - e believed
here. he w'ouid not have made II he had
Dot Been urred into n BIZ ponls 81 ere
'ooHsn friends who have been NEEDING IN
Re business from the beginning.
Thus nuH1 T. = simple tDstSce a. Scsiey
% believe. a. he fs wise enough 20 kn1w
hat no Tood or1er from ke4pSnR suchan
sffair stirred up while ERE passions % che
isputants are sill a. fever heat Had the
Whole troutse been allowed % ,AIe down
intrl nearly everybody hBd forgotten a.
Smiley would have been great Eain~r.
Even - the other side had continued d-ub-
1inz him saazmod'csHv. this wouid have
= persecution. The p-bEc gets tired u
itri-turss ThBch take the form - mere /
'b;,sive Iteration. and $50 WEAKNESS so-ns- ,
ines turns 60 q rather active sympathy I.
nth The Object % attack
The second fart proved ~ .his affair g .
n Stiffness - the chs-ge o "c1usufrary'' I
'ro1Eht sEstnst persons who are not able 4
> accept che point - view We hear az
'onSpirac,es - drive ren CO, - tie cab !
let. and ou' % coaEr-ss. an4 GA, az varf- 7
Us minor Offices N civn iife. bat the mil .
AIRY and naval services ofsr . partic1iz- 4
sr.Ee fed for he aoxsouS growth 7; . 4
charge a. hard - prove as easy 70 make. !
ne ground n Ehsoh n tas ezs4 Z =
oo;sd. casts suspicion on 80 gcod safth- /.
- sas9y1-s - bark % the se.s1n % fAe
'aTT department 81 eievsssng ssmp~Sa
ver schlsy While eth Two nu-nse-s besrw
IN On shs grzded IaE They soTR-s. ap-
areo:iy. ths: vb~a srhlsy vas gives