The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-01-24
SCHLEY'S HONOR IS MENACED
WARMING GIVEN TO HIS FRIENDS
IN THE SENATE.

They Must Not Press for Investigation
of Promotions Else Disagreeable Dis .
closures WIN be Mnde-A Charge That
Schley RAN Away from Enemy at
Santiago-A Scandal Htnted At.
Washington, Jan. 23,--The executive
session of the senate to-day was devot-
ed wholly to the discussion of the pro-
motion of Admirals Sampson and
Schley and other naval officers engaged
In the Santigo campaign over the heads
Of officers who We're their superiors In
rank. The controversy was then post
poned for twenty days, after vote
had been taken to call for the records
of the navy department bearing upon
the conduct of all affected by the ad-
vancement The discussion arose over
the resolution of which Senator Butler
was the author calling for these docu-
ments. AS originally offered 1t asked
for the reasons of the advancement but
the resolution was modified so as to re-
quest the record only.
Senators German and Wellington of
Maryland one republican and the
other democrat, united in fierce az
tack upon the navy department for IA
voring Sampson over Schley, while SEN
ators Lindsay, Pettigrew, Perkins and
Money attacked the whole system of
promotion as "a species of favorltism,
ioh 1,,,4 4I,o foo tr
The method of the administration was
defended by Messrs. Hale, Chandler and
Lodge. Senator Wellington was espec-
tally Jealous in his advocacy of the
claims of Admiral Schley and in his
presentation of reasons why Admiral
Sampson should not be preferred over
him and both he and Mr.. German stat
ed that, if the official papers were or
dered, they would demonstrate the fact
that Schley and not Sampson fought
the battle off Santiago. They contend
ed that with Sampson ten miles away,
he could not be accredited constructive
ly with having command of the fleet
on the day when the Spanish vessels
were sent to the bottom On the con-
trary 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, regard
less of the favors Of the government at
Washington.
Senators Hale and Chandler, both
members of the naval committee, de-
Tended the action of the navy depart
ment in giving preference to the men
who took upon themselves the brunt of
the battle in Atlantic waters and in
preferring the man who was in com
mand of the fleet They deprecated
the opening up of controversy which
Senator Chandler said might lead to a
condition which might prove as unsa-
worry as that which the war investigat-
ing commission had developed in con-
nection with the army beef contracts.
Senator Lodge Joined in deploring this
policy, and owing to the fact that he
had but recently, in the course of pri-
vate research, made an exhaustive In
vestigation, he was enabled to throw
much light upon the controversy in be-
half of the contention that the contro-
versy should not be stirred up.
During the presentation of this side
much was said in upholding 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 devel- |
oped that would not be agreeable to |
them The charge was made that |
Schley had voluntarily left Santiago at
ter 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, Admiral
Schley had made a reverse movement
with the Brooklyn and had gone in
reverse direction instead of boldly at
tacking the enemy. II was asserted
that these facts We're among the facts
which the archives would reveal.
Senators Lindsay or Pettigrew, who
were not standing for either Sampson
or Schley, made the point that these
developments has merely emphasized the
reasons why the senate should be put
into possession of all the facts before
voting II am not the champion of
either Of these officers" said Mr.. Petit
grew, "and if Schley ran away from the
enemy or showed disposition to do so,
/ want to know it, After the decision
TO send for the records was adopted,
there was a general understanding tina,
the whole matter should be postponed
long enough to permit action by both
houses upon the naval commissions
bill providing that these promotions
"shall not interfere with the promotion
Of officers otherwise entitled to promo.
tion." the subsequent result was that
the senate in open session then passed
the resolution asking for the records.