The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-14
THE NAV AL
Personnel Bill Before
the House.
Mr.. BERRY, ECH
His Allusions to Schley and
Sampson Applauded.


the naval personnel bill It deyel-
oped much less opposition than was
anticipated, and the indications are
that it will have a large majority when
it is placed upon its passage tomorrow.
The lasr vestige Of opposition to the
measure from shc line officers of the
navy was removed today. when an
amendment was adopted designed to
prohibit staff officers. upon whom the
bin confers positive rank. from exer-
cising command except in their OWL
corps The committee also asserted its
purpose to offer an amendment tomor-
row TO repeal the law giving prize
money to the navy, and this announce
ment met with warm approval The
speeches on the bill today were filled
with glowing illusions TO the glories
OF our naval victories in the late war
and Mr.. Berry OF Kentucky created a
great deal of enthusiasm by his eulogy
of Schley as the hero Of Santiago.
1t was on a special order that Mr.
Hopkins (rep.) OF Illinois called UP the
naval personnel bill. Mr.. Foss rep
of Illinois, who was in charge of the
bill, took the floor with a general argu-
ment in support of the measure. He
said the basis of the present bill was
q bill drafted by a board Of naval Off
GERS, at -he head of which was Theo-
dore Roosevelt, assistant secretary of
the navy, and composed Of officers OF
the line and staff.
This proposed change in the person
mel of the navy was revolutionary, he
admitted, but it was necessary to keep
pace with the wonderful evolution in
the construction and nature of our
modern Warships.
Mr.. Foss gave notice that ne intend
ed at the proper time to offer ar
amendment to abolish prize money in
the navy
Mr. Lowe reD) Of New York spoke
on the amalgamation OF the line and
engineer corps. Their duties were wide
1y dissimilar he said, and the efficiency
of the service would not be promoted
by their amalgamation. Officers of the
line and staff, he said, had agreed
TO the pending bill because of advan-
tages it contained, but they did not APP
prove of the proposed amalgamation
and In support of his statement he rea
the testimony Of Capt. Crowninshield
and others before the naval commit
tee.
Mr.. Dayton rep.) of West Virginia
supported the bill. He said that Capt
Crowninshield's opposition would end
by the adoption Of an amendment pro-
viding that staff officers shall not be
entitled to command except in their
own corps.
Mr.. Berry (dem.) Of Kentucky
warmly supported the bill. In the
course of his remarks Mr.. Berry made
the first allusion on the floor of the
House to the mooted question, as to
who was responsible for the victory
over Ceryera's feet at Santiago.
Mr. Berry said: Il believe the bill
will remove conflict and il there is any
country where there is a necessity for
removal of conflict in the army or the
navy, it is the United States. (Laugh-
teri
/ think We had j magnificent phase
of a conflict in the army service OF the
United States presented in the papers
this morning, and whether it will end
in a duel or not 10 not know but
st shows there is a considerable amount
. of friction in the army There was
some conflict then among the officers
in the navy in the greatest battle of
the war, the greatest battle of modern
times, 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
for the glorious triumph he won on the
3D. day of July, 1895"
In this connection Mr. Berry read the
following poem amid whlrlwind of
laughter and applause:
s'When the Spanish feet with full Roadway
Dashed out of Santiago bay,
Taking the chances of death and wreck
Who stood on a Yankee quarterback
And marked the game with eagle eye
say, was IT Sampson or was IT Schley?
daughter and applause)
Who was it. when shot and screaming
Turned Sabbath calm into echoing hell,
Steamed into the thickest of the fray,
Ills good ship leading all the way,
Wniie the roar Of his guns shook earth
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
Whose name stood out on that proud dav
As the hero Of Santiago bay?
IN letters of gold write that name on high
Shall we write it Sampson or write il
daughter and applause.)
Il say it should be written Schley.'
continued Mr.. Berry, and then | ga,
that there should be provision o
law that whether it goes to Schley O
Sampson, no prize money should b
paid to the men who have won tina
glorious achievement, but that the pro
vision for prize money ought to b
wiped off the statute books / say tina
the men who made that magnificen
charge at San Juan Hill in all aspect
of this case are as much entitled Il
take Santiago as a reward for thei
Fervices, as the men who sank Cerve
ra's ships (Renewed applause)
In response to a direct question MI
Meyer dem, of Lao said tina
the committee would offer an amend
fnent to repeal the law giving priz
money to the navy. This statemen
was generally applauded
Later Mr.. Berry alluded to the stu
alton in the Philippines He had no
decided, he said, how he would stan
on the proposition to annex those is
lands, but he wanted it distinctly un
derstood that the backing AguinaId
was supposed to be receiving fror
Germany would have no weight in eff
fecting his opinion I'VE may We
have to whip Germany as we di
Spain" said he. amid a whirlwind a
applause
The general debate then closed. an
the bin was read for amendment unde
the five-minute rule. Mr. Foss ofrere
the following amendment to the sectio
giving staff officers positive rank. an
st was adopted without division. "Bu
officers whose rank Is so defined shaI
not be entitled in virtue of the rank /
command in the line or in other stat