The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-12-07
DEWEY AND THE PEOPLE
The OEPLORABLE CONTROVERSY
THAT HAS ARISEN
IN Connection With Disposition He
Saw Fit to Make of the Residence
Which was Presented to Him bv
Some of his Admiring Fellow.Coun.
trymen-Thoughtless and Uncalled
for Criticism.
(WaShinptOn Post

With the official acts of statesmen.
soldiers, conquerors, and publicists,
the people have right to deal In
purely personal concerns they cannot,
without gross improperly, venture
to interfere. Even Presidents are
entitled to privacy when it comes to
the hearthstone and the family cir
Gle We are all plain American citi-
zens, albeit some Of us may be at diff
ferent times called to the performance
OF public duties. No man, however
brilliant his official station or his pro-
fessional service. forfeits his individ-
ual identity or his personal preroga-
tives.
The deplorable controversy that has
arisen in connection with Admiral
Dewey and the disposition he has
chosen to make of the residence pre-
sented to him by some $4,000 of his
fellow-countrymen seems to be a case
in point. The fact is that upon The
sole basis OF the announcement of :,
transfer of the property by him to his
ture of thoughtless criticism and con-
demnatiOn. Without waiting for facts
or stopping to consider the possible
motives actuaiing him, gossip and
conjecture have unbr.dled emselves
to AN extent which one finds it irIpos-
sible to Justify in the light of Admiral
Dewey's history.
1t has been assumed, in the utter
absence of the slightest warrant for
such an assumption, that there was
something discreditable or underhand
or clandestine in the transaction, and
this unworthy Indictment, dissent
mated by skillful employment of the
machinery of publicity and aided by
the emotional credulity of the pop
ulace, has come dangerously near to
! the achievement of scandal. 1t is,
in fact, a grotesque commentary on
the value Of popular acclamation that
the hero Of the most splendid episode
of modern warfare should be threat
ened with dethronement by a petty
chronicle of small beer.
But, as it happens, there is no
foothold for scandal Of any kind. So
far as concerns the property in ques-
ton, it has been disposed of in man
ner that will meet the approval Of all
thoughtful and intelligent persons.
1t remains in the possession OF the
Admiral during his life and Is secured,
in the most unassailable way, to his
| natural heir and successor in the
event of his death. If he has chosen
| to make his wife the medium of this
| very proper and necessary transfer,
the fact speaks for his delicacy and
good sense. In making the arrange
ment thus he has avoided-and we
| have reason to believe he has done so
with his wife's cordial cooperation
the remotest possibility OF contest
or complication.
The property was presented to
him for his personal use and enjoy
ment. He accepted it upon that
understanding, and he has done
what was needed to keep the property
| in the line of natural succession. 1t
stands to-day in the name of his son,
George Goodwin Dewey, and he has,
what the donors must have intended
him to have, its usufruct and enjoy
ment during his life. Whether it
will add to or detract from young
Dewey's appreciation OF the arrange
ment to know that the Admirars wife
sanctioned it by her own act we
leave to the judgment of the in
dividual. For our part, we think it
will add to his appreciation. and we
can see nothing in the incident that
is not distinctly honorable to Ad-
| miral and Mrs. Dewey.
Discussion, of this kind are always
| distasteful. 1t seems necessary,
however, in the interest of justice. to
| state the facts.