The Chilhowee echo. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1899-19??, 1899-12-02
A HER0'S TROUBLES.
TRHE furor over the Dewey house
incident has subsidized, but the
- nnhnnr nf a,,; IL ic,,, bo .ro =, az l.nl

incident has SuDSlded, but the
echoes of criticism have not died
away. 1t is pity that there was ever
occasion for criticism, and it is to be
regretted that so much of the criti-
cism was of such bitter and violent
character. There is a Frenchiness
about it all that is both deplorable
and amusing. 1t is right and proper to
honor heroes-and Admiral Dewey is a
hero of whom we may be proud. In
hOnoring him and other brave men of
the army and navy we honor ourselves.
But we hope it is not unpatriotic to say
that in the case of Admiral Dewey, and
perhaps of one or two others, we have
had a somewhat excessive display of
hero-worship. The presentation of a
house to Dewey does not seem to us to
have been particularly happy mani
festation of exalted patriotism. Dew
ey's salary is sufficient to maintain him
in luxury as long as he lives. He had
no family y-only one grown son, who is
able to and does take care of himself
There were many admirers of Dewey
who believed or hoped that he would
decline the house as a gift, or if he did
accept it it would be with the under
standing that when Dewey passed away
it would fall to the next ranking officer
of the navy and forever remain the
house of the chief naval officer and his
successors. But Dewey accepted it as
his own. Soon after, he married a
wealthy woman who has magnificent
home of her own, beside which the
Dewey house appears rather humble.
For some reason Dewey decided his
house, the gift of admiring friends. to
his new wife. Then the storm broke.
The suddenness and fury of it surprised
and shocked the Admiral, and his wife,
who, allow us to say, ought to have had
more tact and judgment in the matter
than her husband. She sought to cor
rect the error, so far as possible, by
deciding the house to her husbands son,
a young man who has not sought to
shine in the reflected light of his illus
trious father, and who seems to be qni-
setiy ATTENDING to MS own business But
the second transfer was too late. 1t did
not correct the mistake of the first
transfer, which, however innocent and
well-meaning the spirit and intent, was
mistake, which can not be corrected
by explanations.
But it was mistake that did not JUS
tify the avalanche of violent criticism,
of coarse invective, that was heaped
upon him through personal letters and
the public press. 1t was disgraceful
exhibition rejecting more severely on
the critics than on the objects of their
attacks, for Mrs. Dewey was also in
cluded in their denunciatory utterances.
Persons who had not contributed a cent
to the purchase of the Dewey home
were as violent in their criticisms as
those enthusiasts whose volatile natures
led them in the excess and fervor OF
their herO-worship to contribute money
. for Dewey home and then to insult
and denounce the recipient because he
thought it "a gracious act" to present
the gift to his wife. These give evi.
dence of having more money than good
breeding or good sense.
The old Admiral S statement concern
ing the affair is pathetic. 1t reveals
chagrin and grief in every sentence. II
is his first experience with that uncer
tain animal the Public when it is ugly
and showing it's fangs. He never knew
it very WE'LL and it never knew him al
all until something more than yeal
ago. Up to the unfortunate house Incl
dent his experience with it was very
pleasing indeed. 1t was all smiles anG
adulation-it had flowers and praises
and worship for him. 1t was hungry
for hero and it was anxious to worship
at hero's feet. But one on whom the
white light beats, who stands upon {
high pedestal, must conduct himsel
most circumspectly. A false move Oh
utterance and the smiles are changed
to frowns, words of praise to jeers an(
Kisses; those who burned incense fol
the hero yesterday carry daggers fo1
him to-day. There was, curiousl,
enough, sort of resentment owe
Dewey's marriages; and when he CAV,
that house away he set the public, thu
emotional and frothy element of it, a
least, at his heels. In a day he Learned
how quickly adulation can be changed
to condemnation. 1t is to be regretted
that such large element of the Amer
lean people is so much like the Frencl
in this respect. The French are nota
bly, of an excitable nature--vOlcanic il
their emotions; absurdly adulator
when pleased, ridiculously violent Q
speech, and sometimes of action, whel
displeased-and easily pleased or dis
pleased. Too many Americans are Q
the same mercurial temperament. TIL
, well-balanced man is not unduly elate