The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-09-28
Roosevelt on Dewey.

The Baltimore Sun says Cover
nor Roosevelt contributes 10 the Oc
tober number of McClure's Magazine
an appreciative article on Admiral
Dewey. Governor Roosevelt was As
sistant Secretary Of the Navy when
Admiral Dewey was chosen 10 com
mand the Asistic Squadron and dur
ing the period Of preparation for
the movement against Manila, and
his article derives special interest
from the fact that he had more than
ordinary knowledge of the circum
stances governing Admiral ID wey's
selection for that important field OF
operations. Ia his great achieve
ment at Manila Dewey, he points
out, partly grssped and partly
made his opportunity. There we're
number of admlrals Vho during the
dozen years preceding the Spanish
War were retired without the oppor-
tuuity Of ever coming where II was
possible to distinguish themselves.
and it may be that some Of these
lacked nothing but the chance.
Nevertheless, when the chance does
come, only the great man can see 1t
instantly and use It srlgit " 1T
has been said,n Governor Roosevelt
continues, that it was 3 mere acti-
dent that Dewey happened to be IN
command Of the Asistic Squadron
when the war with Spain broke out.
This is not the fact. He was sent to
command it in the fall Of 1897, be-
cause, to use the very language en-
ployed at the time, 1t was deemed
wise TO have there man who could
90 into Manila, if necessary He
owed the appointment to the high
professional reputation he enjoyed,
and to the character he had estab'
lished for willingness 10 accept re
sponsiblIity, for sound judgment and
for entire fesrlessness. One factor
in Admiral Dewey's appointment (of
which he is very possibly ignorsnU
was the way in which be had taken
responsibility in purchasing coal for
the squadron that was to have been
used against Chile, if war with Chile
had broken out, at the time General
Harrison was President" Yet
Dewey, with all his courage, skill
and ability, could not have accom-
plished what be did "if he had not
had first class vessels aud excellently
trained mer; If his warships had not
been so good, and his captains and
crews such thorough masters Of their
art" This excellence in personnel
was "the result of years of steady
training" while the excellence IN
ships was due to the interest man.
tested by several successive Secre-
tsries of the Navy and Ito the wis.
dom of succession of Con-
crosses" by which the navy
was strengthened and developed.
Had the "wsr with Spain broken out
Is years before it did-tbat is in the
year 1888, before our new navy was
built-it would have been physically
impossible to get the results we act
ualiy did," Governor Roosevelt
holds, therefore, that "every officer
and map, from the highest to the
lowest, who did his full duty iu rails
ing the navy TO the standard OF eflic
ieucy it had reached on May l, 1898,
is entitled to feel some personal share
in the glory won by Dewey and
Dewey's men," But, al hough "the
hero cannot win save for the fore
thought energy, courage ard apscity
of countless other men, yet we must
bear in mind also that all this fore
thought, energy, courage and capac-
ity will be wasted unless at the su
preme moment some man OF the he'
roic type arises capable of using to
the best advantage the powers lying
ready to hand" Dewey measured
up to the emergency, and in Gov.
Rooseyelt's opinion "his name will
stand second to that OF Farragut
alone on our roll of naval heroes"
and he "comes back to his nstiVe
land having won the right to a greet
ing such as has been given to no
other man since the Civil war"