The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1899-01-24
THE SENATE
Discusses the Conduct or Samp
sOa and Schley at
otta0n.

devoted TO the discussion Of the promo
ton Of Admirals Sampson and se1'o,
and osher naval officers engaged in IN,
! Santiago campaign, over the heads %
officers who were heir superiors In rank
The controversy was then postponed fol
twenty days after a vote had been takei
TO call for the records OF the navy de
partment bearing upon the conduct o
all affected by the advancement
! The discussion arose over the resclu
ton. Of which Senator Butler was ia,
author, calling for these documen,s A
originally offered Il asked for the reason,
for the advancement but the resolution
was modified so as to require the record
only.
Senator wellington was especially zeal.
Gus IN his advocacy Of the claims OF
Admiral schley and in his presentation
Of reasons why Admiral Sampson should
not be preferred and both he and his
democratic colleague, Mr.. German. made
the statement that II the official papers
were ordered they would demonstrate be-
yond a possible question tn fact that
Schley, and not Sampson, fought the bat
tie off Santiago. They contended that
with Sampson ten miles away he could
not be accredited constructlvely with
having command Of the fleet ON the
memorable day when the Spanish ves-
sells We're sent to the bottom on tho
contrary, they held that schley was
on the ground; no was the senior cfn-
Ger. and that he was engaged actively
and most effectively in the conflict all
the world knew. regardless OF the favors
Of the government at Washington
Senator Lindsay found much In the pro-
motion Of both Schley and Sampson over
Commodore Watson to condemn. He
took occasion to praise Watson as a man
who undoubtedly would have made a fine
record In the war II given the oppor-
tunity he should have had as senior Off
GER anG said that to deprive him of his
rightful rank while other men were
pressed TO the front and given the posts
of honor which was In every way unfair.
Senator Perkins, Senator Plat OF Conn,
and Senator Pettigrew, also criticised the
system as one liable to result IN unfair
ness unless very cautiously entered upon,
agreeing that at any rate the senate
should have the record that It might de-
eide for itself as to the merits OF the
men so signally favored compared with
those who had received none OF the loaves
and fishes.
Senators Hale and Chandler, both mem
bers OF the naval committee. defended
tho action of the navy department In
giving preference TO the men who took
upon themselves the brunt of the battle
in Atlantic waters and I'm preferring the
man who was I'm command Of the feet
They deprecated the opening up OF a con-
which Senator Chandler said
might lead to a condition which might
prove as unsavory as that which the war
investigating commission had developed
in connection with the army beef con-
tracts.
Senator Lodge Joined in deplorlng this
policy, and. owing to the fact that he
had but recently, in the interest OF private
research, made an exhaustive investlga-
tion. he was enabled to throw much light
upon the controversy in behalf OF the
contention that the controversy should
not be stirred.
During the presentation of this side
much was said In uphoidinyy the Claims
of Sampson in preference 20 those Of
Schley and the friends or the latter Off
Ger were warned that II they Insisted
in pressing the investigating too closely,
some facts would be developed that
would not be agreeable 20 them.
MAY HUNT sCHLEY's RECORD.
The charge was made hat schley had
voluntarily left Santiago after reaching
the vicinity OF that port. and after Ger
vera had entered the harbor and also the
charge that when the Spanish feet hal
sailed out through the narrow mouth OF
the channel Admiral Schley had made a
reverse movement with the Brooklyn and
gone In direction opposite 10 that tax
en- by the Spanish squadron Instead Of
bodily attacking the enemy In the begin
ming. It was asserted that these facts
were among those which the archieves
would reveal
The friends OF Admiral Schley declar-
ed they had nothing to fear from having
al the facts known. Expaining his start
to leave Santiago and his refusal TO obey
department orders before sampson's ar
rival. they said that It was because ho
had been unable TO coal at sea. When
they were asked how II had happened
that he had peen able to coal thirty-slx
hours afterwards they replied that this
wasdue to the fact tina a sorm had given
p,ace TO calm.
Senators Lindsay and Pettigrew, who
were not standing for either Sampson or
Schey. made the point that these devel-
opments had merely emphasized the roa-
sons why the senate should be put into
possession Of all the facts before yot-
ing.
II am not the champion OF either Of
these officers" said Mr.. Pettigrew, "and
# scnley ran away from the enemy or
showed a disposition to DO so ! want TO
know IT,"
After the decision 20 send the records
was arrived at there was a general un-
derstanding that the whole matter SHOULD
be postponed long enough TO permit ae-
tion by both houses upown the naval
committees bill providing that these pro-
motions "shau no interfere with the pre-
moion Of officers otherwise entitled 20
promotion"
The subsequent effort Of the senate in
open session 70 pass this bin was the
result OF the agreement.
During the debate the fact was brought
out that Captain HIgginson OF the Mass
achusetts. had already been promoted 10
M Mr. schley's place as commodpra, ana
the criticism made that this promotion
was irregular Aut Senator Hoar defend
ed the promotion and called attention 20
the fact that BIr. schley hao been plac-
ed in a precisely similar predicament
when he was made commodore to sue.
ceed Commodore Quackenbush, who wns