The evening times., 1899-01-24
TUESDAY. JANUARY "a, 1899.
Naval Promotions in Congress.

Naval Promotions in Congress
IT was a stupendous blunder for the ring
in the Navy Department to suppose that
because they could delude the Secretary of
the Navy and confuse the President and
so achieve their purpose to promote favor
ties at the expense Of others, they could
use the influence of the Administration TO
silence Congress. That sort of thing is pos
sible only where the objects of their dis
favor or the victims Of their schemes are
men whose deeds do not inspire admiration
among the people and where the injustice
is not glaring The bureaucratic conspira
tors have been too bold and too ambi-
tious for their fsyorites. They have GER
tain important advantages. and it may
be possible for them to impair the credit
OF officers who stand in the way OF their
aims. but there is sense of justice in
the people and il Congress that rebels
against their policy. They should have
known that by claiming too much for
Sampson they would force Congressional
attention to their unfairness and even
though they may cast reflections on a
popular hero they cannot gain all the
glory and emoluments for the undeserving
without challenge.
The scandal of Commodore Simpsons
undeseryed promotion at the expense OF
Commodore Schley was bound TO be
the subject of Congressional discussion
and although the bureaucrats had
their spokesmen, men who have been
deceived by false representations the
majority IN the Senate showed
its intention to get at the truth regard
less of the consequences. 1t was like the
conspirators 10 warn the friends of fair
play and justice that by opening the ques-
zion OF Simpsons promotion over Schley.
the latter must suffer. AS though that
could make the least difference in the
world. 1t reveals their idea that pro-
motions should go by favor and that the
public should be satisfied if Admiral Schley
got more than be deserved. They can
not understand that it is absolute and i'm
partial justice that is wanted. The threat
that the friends of Sampson may soil the
glory of Schley is an insult. 1t is only be-
cause they believe the latter has been rob
bed in the interest of Sampson that Sena-
tors demand the facts. If Admiral Schley
has not deserved The honors he has receiv-
I'd, they want tO-l1now it; if Admiral Samp-
son has not won the promotions he has
captured, apparently by favor, they want
10 know that, too. They are not willing
10 consent to any unearned advancement
for Sampson because OF an alleged kindness
10 Schley.
The members of Congress know what
IS known to the public There has never
been published anything that seemed 10
warrant the early preference for Sampson
which placed him above Schley. If there
was anything but pure favoritism in that
the people and Congress have right to
know it. The essential facts about the
naval battle of Santiago are all familiar
10 The public. There is no doubt that Ad-
miral Sampson not in that battle. and
that if his being within signal distance
toward the end OF it places him construc-
lively in command it is fact that he
made no signals until all was over The
honors and perquisites which the Navy
Office gave TO him were said to be his due
for the mastery manner in which the
blockade of Santiago Harbor was man
aged 1t has been shown that il was hor-
ribly bungled and that only the Oregon
and Gloucester were ready when the
enemy came out. The denials of that fact
have been proved to be unfounded
OF Schley's part in the battle the de-
tails are known The public does not know
whether he was TO blame for actions pre-
vious to the battle, and does not know how
far his actions should impair his standing.
But it does know that Schley was in the
battle and fought to his utmost, while
Sampson was ten miles away. Since the
latter deserves censure for the unready
condition Of the ships, he does not deserve
glory for his management of the block
ade; and in the fight he won no right to
advancement over the fighters.
Yesterdays discussion proves that the
friends Of justice are resolved to go into
the heart of the business, no matter if il
pulls down Admiral Schley, the man who
in the battle and acquitted himself
well. They propose TO expose whatever
is rotten in the Navy Department in re-
latiOn to promotions, in the interest of
the deserving officers. They are the
friends of justice, not of Schley.