The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-01-24
German and Wellington Criticised II For
Placing Sampson Over Schley.
THE REMARKS OF OTHER SENATORS.
Whole System Of Promotions Species Of Favor
iiism Not Warranted BY The Facts Records
Of The Navy Called For.


session of the senate yesterday was de-
voted wholly 10 the discussion OF the
promotion of Admirals Sampson and
Schley and other naval officers engaged
in the Santiago campaign over the heads
OF officers who were their superiors in
rank The controversy was then post
poncd for 20 days, after a vote had been
taken TO call for the records OF the navy
department bearing upon the conduct Of
all affected by the advancement.
The discussion arose over the resolu-
ton calling for these documents. AS
originally offered * asked for the reasons
for the advancement, but the resolution
WAS modified SO as TO request the record
only. The first vote was OH motion
made by senator Hale TO lay the resolu-
ton on the table. and on this the ayes
and noes were taken. resulting IL ayes to
80 noes. The resolution was then al
lowed 10 pass without further discussion
For three hours previous TO this. how
ever the senate had been engaged i'm a
very animated verbal battle which in
volved many intricacies. and was par
ticipatcd I'm by large number Of sena-
tors. The main contests We're. first. over
the general policy of promoting these Of
hCers over others who were character
izcd a quite as deserving. though less
fortunate i'm that they were deprived OF
such active participation in the war; and
second. as TO the relative merits of Samp-
son and Schley.
Senator'S German and wellington OF
Maryland. one a Republican and the
other Democrat. united i'm fierce at
tack upon the navy department for fav-
oring Sampson over Schley. while Sena-
tors Lindsay. Pettigrew. Perkins and
Money attacked the whole system OF pro-
motion as "a species Of favoritism which
was rot warranted by the facts" The
method Of the administration was de-
Tended by Messrs. Hale Chandler and
Lodge. Senator Wellington was es-
peciahy jealous in his advocacy OF the
claims OF Admiral Schley. and in his pre-
sentation of reasons why Admiral Samp-
son should not be preferred over him,
and both he and Mr.. German stated that,
if the official papers were ordered. they
would demonstrate beyond a possible
question the fact that Schley and not
Sampson. fought the battle off Santiago.
They cOntended that. with Sampson
10 miles away. he could not be accred-
ited 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 i'm
the conflict all the world knew. regard
less of the favors OF the government at
Washington
Senator Lindsay found much in the pro-
motion OF both Schley and Sampson. over
Commodore Watson TO condemn. He
praised Watson as a man who would un-
doubtedly have made fine record in the
war II given the opportunity he should
have had as a senior officer. and said that
To deprive him OF his rightful rank be-
cause other men were pressed to the
front and given the posts OF honor was
in every way unfair and unworthy OF a
great country
Senators Perkins. Platt OF Connecticut
and Pettigrew also criticised the system
as one liable TO result in unfairness un-
less very cautiously entered upon, argu-
ing that at any rate the senate should
have the record before IL, that il might
decide for itself as 10 the merits of the
men so sigrally favored compared with
those who had received none OF the
loaves and fishes.
Senators Hale and Chandler defended
the action OF the navy department In
giving preference TO the men who took
upon themselves the brunt OF the battle
In Atlantic waters and i'm preferrins the
man who was i'm command of the fleet.
They deprecated the opening up OF "A
controversy which, Mr.. Chandler said.
might lead to condition which might
prove as unsavory as that which tho war
Investigating commission had developed
I'm connection with the army beef con-
tracts
senator Lodge Joined i'm deploring this
policy. and owing 10 the fact that he had
but recently in the interest of private
research. made an exhaustive invcsti-
sation. he was enabled 90 throw much
light upon the controversy in behalf OF
the contention that the controversy
should not be stirred up.
During the presentation OF this side
much was said i'm upholding the claims
OF Sampson i'm preference 60 those OF
Schley. and the fricSyds Of the latter ON
Ger were warned that. IL they insisted
upon pressing the investigation too
closely. some facts would be developed
that would not be agreeable TO them.
The charge was made that Schley had
voluntarily left Santiago after reaching
the vicinity Of that port and after Ger
vera had entered the harbor, and also
the charge that when the Spanish fleet
had sailed out through the narrow mouth
of the channel Schle. had made re-
verse movement with the Brooklyn aud
gone IN a direction opposite TO that taken
by the spanish squadron instead OF
boldly attacking the enemy IN the be-
ginning. lt was asserted that these Facts
were among those which the archives