The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-24
Relatives Merits of
Sampson and Schley.
THEIR PROMOTIONS.
A Long Debate About Them
and Others in Senate.

Washington, Jan. 23.-The execu-
tive session of the Senate today was
devoted wholly to the discussion of the
promotion of Admirals Sampson and
Schley and other naval officers en-
gagged in the Santiago campaign, over
the heads of officers who were their
superiors in rank.
The controversy was then postponed
for 20 days, after a vote had been
taken to call for the records of the
navy department bearing upon the
conduct of all affected by the advance
ment. The discussion arose over the
resolution of which Senator Butler was
the author, calling for these documents.
AS originally offered, it asked for the
reasons for the advancement, but the
resolution was modified so as to re-
quest the record only. The first vote
was on motion made by Senator Hale
to lay the resolution on the table, and
on this the aves and noes were taken,
resulting IL ayes to So noes. The reso-
luton was then allowed to pass with
out further discussion. For three
hours previous to this. however, the
Senate had been engaged in an ami
mated verbal battle which involved
many 1ntrlcacies and was participated
in by a large number of senator's
The main contests were first over the
general policy of promoting these Off
GERS over others who were character
lied as quite as deserving though less
fortunate in that they were deprived
of such active participation in the
war; and second, as to the relative
merits of Sampson and Schley Sem
ators German and Wellington of Mary
land, one a republican and the other
a democrat, united in forced attack
upon the navy department for favoring
Sampson over Schley, which Senators
Lindsay Pettigrew, Perkins and Money
attacked the whole system of promo
ton as "a species of favoritism which
was not warranted by the facts" The
method of the administration was de-
Tended by Messrs Hale, Chandler and
Lodge. Senator Wellington was es-
pecially Jealous in his advocacy of the
claims of Admiral Sehley and in his
presentation of reasons why Admiral
Sampson should not be preferred over
him, and both he and Mr.. German
stated that IL the official papers were
ordered, ley would demonstrate be-
yond possible question the fact that
Schley and not Sampson fought the
battle of Santiago.
They commended that, with Sampson
~ miles away, he could not be accred-
tied constructively with having COM
mand of the fleet on the day when the
Spanish vessels were sent to the bot
tom. On the contrary, they held that
Schley was on the ground; he was the
senior officer. and that he was engaged
most effectively in the conflict, all the
world knew. regardless of the favors of
the government at Washington
Senator Lindsay found much in the
promotion of both Schley and Sampson
over Commodore Watson to condemn.
He praised Watson as a man who
would undoubtedly have made a fine
record in the war if given the oppor-
tunity he should have had as a senior
officer and said that to deprive him Of
his rightful rank because other men
were pressed to the front and given the
costs of honor, was in every way I'M
fair and unworthy of great country.
senator Perkins. Senator Plat of
connecticut anG Senator PettigreW.
also criticised the system as one liza
BILE to result in unfairness unless very
cautiously entered upon, ar1ajrx THAT,
at any rate. the Senate should have
the record before it, that it might de-
tide for itself as to the merits of the
49, ~ oieHhGiAy IdNOTGu, compared
with those who had received none of
the loaves and fishes.
Senators Hale and Chandler both
members of the naval committee, de-
Tended the action of the navy depart
ment in giving preferences to the men
who took upon themselves the brunt
of the battle in Atlantic waters, and
m preferring the man who was in COM
mand of the fleet. They deprecated
| a of =
Senator Chandler said might lead to
condition which might prove as un-
saVory as that which the war investi-
eating commission had developed in
connection with the army beef con-
tracts.
Senator Lodge joined in deploring this
policy, and owing to the fact that he
had but recently in the interest of pri-
vate research, made an exhaustive in
vestlgation, he was enabled to throw
much light upon the controversy in be-
half Of the contention that the contro-
versv should not be stirred up.
During the presentation of this side
puch was said in unfolding the claims
of Sampson in preference to those of
Schley, and the friends of the latter
officer were warned that, if they in
sisted upon pressing the investigation
too closely, some facts would be de-
Velopeu tnal would not be agreeable to
them. The charge was made that
Schley had voluntarily left Santiago
after reaching the vicinity of that port
and after Cervera had entered the har-
Dor, and also the charge that when
the Spanish fleet had sailed out through
the narrow mouth of the channel, Ad-
miral (then commodore) Schley had
made a reverse movement with the
Brooklyn and gone in a direction OPP
posite to that taken by the Spanish
squadron instead Of boldly attacking
the enemy in the beginning. 1t was as
serted that these facts were among
those which the archives would re-
veal.
The friends of Admiral Schley de-
clared they had nothing to fear from
having all the facts known Explain
ing his start to leave Santiago and
his refusal to obey department orders
before SIMPSONS arrival, they said
that 1t was because he had been unable
to coal at sea. When asked how II had
happened that he had been able to coal
36 hours afterward they replied that
this was due to the fact that a storm
had given place to a calm.
After the decision TO send for the rec
ordS was arrived at there was a gem
eral Understandings shat the whole mat
ter should be postponed long enough