The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-24
SCHLEY LEADS IN SENATE.
HE HAS MORE FRIENDS NOW THAN
ADMIRAL SAMPSON.

tor It's sfnNOrtfe-sampsOn ON sea
Duty with Full Pay and Allow
nnces, While SchIey Waits Ashore
ON TwO-Thirds Pny-sOme Inside
Gossip Respecting the ContrO-
Vcrsy.
Washington, Feb. 2S.-(speciaD.-If the
friends of Rear Admiral schley. in the
Senate. were disposed to act in a resentfuI
manner. they could easily defeat Rear
Admiral SIMPSONS nomination to tho
grade of rear admiral. Senator Gallinger
says fully nine-tenths of the senator's are
now convinced that Schley has been the
victim OF some underhanded personal or
professional jealousy, on the part of cer-
tain officials in the navy department The
longer the controversy is continued the
| fewer friends Sampson has in the Senate.
| When the contention between Sampson
and Schley first arose in the Senate, when
their nominations were sent in, there was
a fair division of opinion on the subject,
and for a time the majority of the sem
ators wete inclined 10 be guided by the
usually frank and conservative sugges-
tIons of Secretary Long. which were
strongly in favor OF Sampson.
An Anti-SchIey Clique.
Recent developments have demonstrated
to many of the senators that the seere-
tary has been misguided by designing
| persons, or else he has be-
come impregnated with the anti-
| Sohley virus, which circuates so freely in
the navy department Day by day the
| Sampson supporters have been impressed
with the true condition of affairs In the
navy department. until what was once a
majority, has dwindled into an insignlA-
| cant and hopeless minority.
This Is the actual condition of the aenti-
meul in the Senate, as given 10 me by
Republican senator who is not directly
Interested In what he characterizes as Fan
| undgnthed and un-American attempt to-
bring the entire navy into disrepute in
order 70 discredit a gallant officer. whom
the whole naval world recognizes and The
people of this country believe 10 be the
real hero of the battle of Santiago"
| schIey on Two-Thirds Pay.
Senator Lindsay, who has studied the
practical effect OF a long drawn out con-
| troversy between the friends of Sampson
| and Schey, points out a fact, which here
| tofore has not attracted public attention.
| He says Sampson Is cruising In Southern
| waters under sea pay. which is the highest
rate of compensation he can receive, while
Schley is on waiting orders. at two-thirds
| pay. Thus 1t appears that Schley Is being
| desgnedly punished by having 5000 n
1 year deducted from his salary, while
| Sampson IL enjoying the fruits of full sea
| pay and allowances.
| That a prejudice against Schley exists,
1 .s.1 4 .akN.x attkr
| for long time, Is not disputed by navy
| department officials. 1t was IN evidence
| In the early stages Of the Spanish war,
| and 1t has increased 10 a greater and a
more vindictive degree since the destruc-
| ton OF the Spanish fleet az Santiago. Out
| side OF the navy department Sehley is
| extremely popular, and Is regarded a
| good sailor and a courageous man in any
emergency. II will be recalled that there
| was a decided hesltancy on the part of the
| Secretary OF the Navy 70 give Schley a
| command, even after war with Spain had
been declared. Those who were familiar
with the inside workings Of the navy de-
partment during the war period. espe-
| cally well-informed newspaper reporters.
| could not help knowing that Schley was
| in bad odor with certain bureau officers
| In the department. Whenever the name
! of Schley was mentioned II was done In
| q slurring or disparagng manner, ana
| officers that Schey was a poser and u
| grand stand player" while Sampson was
| a methodical unassuming, but thoroughly
| efficient officer.
where the Mistake Was Made.
II was public sentiment which induced
the Secretary of the Navy 10 assign Echley
TO the command OF the flying squadron
| II will be remembered that Schley and his
magnificent fleet OF ocean greyhounds
OF In n
until a public demand went up all over the
country for Schley to be ordered to sea.
He was finally ordered to proceed TO Gu
ban waters and cooperate with the North
Atlantic squadron under the command OF
Acting Rear Admiral Sampson.
According 10 conservative naval authorl-
ties. there was where the serious mistake
Of the navy department occurred. Samp-
son was Schley's junior In rank, and all
who are familiar with the history'of naval
affairs knew at once that there would bc
friction between Sampson and Schley IL
was Inevitable, IL was In accordance with
the rules OF human nature. IL Is humill-
ating TO an offensive degree for senior
officer to have a junior placed over him
IN command of such an important expedi-
ton. There Is where most of the trouble
was engendered, although the feeling
against Schley existed In the department.
prior to the war with Spain
There seems to be a mystery surround-
ing Schley's unpopularity in the Depart
ment Throughout the period preceding
the destruction of the Spanish fleet there
was never any fear expressed by naval Of
fcials that Schey would not win laurels
II he had a chance. Their earnest hope
seemed to be that he might not have an
opportunity 10 distinguish himself. IL
Schley happens to get into the scrap with
the Spaniards," said a naval official one
day last June, "he will claim all the
credit himself, and we will never hear the
last Of It,"
A shOrt-LIved Hurrnh.
No one who was in the navy department.
on the Fourth OF July last. when the Of
hoial dispatch from Sampson announcing
Inc destruction of Cevera's fleet, was bul-
letined. viii ever forget that enthusiastic
ecene. Aside from the glorincation of the
great victory OF the American navy, there
was a pronounced demonstration over the