Fergus County argus., 1899-11-29
DtWErS MlSTAkE.

Great men sometimes make mis-.
takes and Admiral Dewey seems to be
no exception tothe cog.slipping tend
ency. Nothing SO unfortunate as
the controversy over the Dewey home
episode has ever taken place in this
country. While Admiral Dewey has
been very indiscreet some OF the con-
tributors to the residence fund and "A
good many newspapers have been
too hasty and severe in their criti-
cisms. The bare announcement that
the admiral had decided this gift Of
the pople to his wife drew out an in
dignant protest from all quarters
and a good many hard things were
said that never would have appeared
i'm print had the writer's known all
the facts.
However, this does not alter the
fact that Admiral Dewey laid himself
open to criticism in the transaction.
The American people, or about thirty
thousand OF them, contributed to-
ward the purchase of n home in
Washington for the admiral as n
token OF their high regard for the
man and to the end that he should
have n home that he could call his
own. And now, before tile ink is
hardly dry on the deed, he signs over
the property to his wife, who is said
to have mansions galore, apparently
fOrgetful OF his son George, who Is IA
travelling salesman for a New York
mercantile house. These and other
circumstances caused an impetuous
outburst of Indignation.
Fortunately the deal Is not so bad
as it first appeared. The protest has
brought out a statement from Adml-
raj Dewey that will cause great
many to regret their hasty action In
condemning him so severely. The
admiral IL greatly hurt and grieved
over the affair. In his statement he
said he thought he twas doing the
most gracious act that an American
gentleman could do" and further ex-
plains:
1t pains ME very deeply to feel
that / am compelled to lay open
secrets of my domestic life, but In
view Of the insults which have
received at the hands Of writer's OF
letters which have been published. l
feel justified In somewhat overstep-
ping the bounds Of propriety and
saying that Mrs. Dewey understood
better than did the feelings OF the
people, and at first declined to per-
init the house being transferred to
her. She did consent only after an
arrangement had been effected wher.-
by not only the house, which was a
gift of the American people, but her
entire personal fortune was ulti-
mately to go to my son George.
Thus he had absolutely nothing to
lose by my conveying my house to
my wife, but, on the contrary, was a
great gamer thereby.
The absve explanation shows that
son George will be ahead of hegame
In the end, but it also shows that
Mrs. Dewey could see that the gift to
her would be an unpopular move
and concluded to let the nations
hero down as lightly as possible
by magnanimous offer on her own
part, though this Is said to have
been an afterthought reached after
the first storm OF Indignation.
The feelings OF the admiral over
the affair can best be stated In
his own language:
When sailed into Manila bay over
dangerous ground, with death and
even worse In front OF me, / little
thought that In such a brief period
OF time after returned to my native
land the American people would
countenance such a monstrous at
tack upon me because l was doing
what / considered to be the most
gracious thing / could do-to pre-
sent my home to my bride.
do not intend to arraign the en-
tire American people for the Acts OF
a few. But | am hurt; | am cut to
the quick. never havefelt so badly
In ali my life. l want the American
people to know 1t.
want them to know that II |