Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-14
GIVES CREDIT TO SCHLEY
Representative Berry Refers to the Battle of
July 8.
Proposed Abolition of Prize Money
Caused General Applause-Fixing
staff Officers Rank.

7 In the House yesterday afternoon Mr..
I Berry G<y), warmly supported the naval
| personnel bill In the course of his re-
marks Mr.. Berry made the first alusion
| on the floor of the House to the mooted
| question to who was responsible for
| the victory over Cerveras fleet at Santa
| go.
II believe the bill will remove conflict,
and 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. Uaughter) l think we had a
magnificent phase of a conflict in the
armed service of the United States in the
papers this morning, and whether it will
end in a duel or not, 1 do not know, but
1t shows there is very considerable
amount OF friction in the army of the
United States. There was one conflict then
among the officers in the navy in the
greatest battle of the war, the greatest
battle OF modern times, because it demon
strateS the character of the men and the
vessels that were engaged in it 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 third
day of July, 1885,
In this connection, Mr.. Berry read the
following poem amid a whirlwind of
laughter ana applause:
when the Spanish fleet with full Roadway,
Dashed out of Santiago Bay,
Taking the chances of death and wreck;
Who stood on a Yankee quarter deck,
And marked the game with eagle eye;
Say, was it Sampson, 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.)
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
Shall we write it Sampson or write it
Schley.
daughter and applause)
Il say it should be written Schley," con-
tinued Mr.. Berry; and then l say that
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. |
say tHdl the men VINO MADE that magnif-
cent charge at San Juan Hill in all aspects
of this case are as much entitled to take
Santiago a reward for their services
as the men who sank Cervera's ships" 1Re-
newed applause)
To Abolish Prize Money
In response to a direct question Mr.
Meyer da.) said that the committee would
offer an amendment to repeal the law CIV
ing prize money to the navy. This state
ment was generally applauded.
Later Mr.. Berry alluded to the situation
in the Philippines. He had not decided, he
said, how he would stand on the PROPOSE
ton to annex those islands, but he wanted
it distinctly understood that the backing
Aguinaldo was supposed to be receiving
from Germany would have no weight in
erecting his opinion. I'VE may yet have
to whip Germany as We did Spain," said
he, amid a whrlwind of applause.
Mr. Dayton said that Captain Crownin-
shields position relative to the bill had
clerks desk and had read statement from
that officer, in which the latter said all his
opposition to the bill would be removed
by the adoption of an amendment provid-
ing that staff officers shall not be entitled
to command except in their own corps.
Dayton said Mr.. loves opposition was due
to the prejudice of the old navy, in which
he had served. The navy had progressed
since the days of the civil war. This bill
had the support of Dewey and every prom
inent officer of the line and staff.
Mr.. Simpson (kan.) said the bill seemed
to him measure for giving naval officers
larger salaries and more honorable station
He Endorsed the feature of the bill which
xpeld out to enlisted men the possibilities