Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-05-04
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS
FACTS AND OPINIONS GATHERED
FROM CONTEMPORARIES.

SHE WANTS THE EARTH.
If Mrs. Dewey and her husband are in
any way grateful for the honors and
riches the American people have heaped
upon them. if they are not living in the
opinion that our government exists and
our people support it mainly to gorify
and enrich them, they certainly take
strange ways Of showing it, for their
disposition "a they show it is to grab
everything they can lay their hands on
and to resent any and every interference
of the law with their greedy purposes.
When Dewey left Hong Kong he was
a subordinate officer in the navy with
salary which would not begin to buy a
party outfit for his present wife. He
sailed with explicit orders 70 60 to Man,
liza and destroy the Spanish fleet of wood
en- vessels, which he did in AN hour.
without, rs is proved mourning any
danger. No sooner was the exploit
known than the country deiIicd him aud
The president and congress proceeded in
hot haste to create for him an Office
higher than was then known, with sal
airy and allowances that were fortune
every year, and gave him these for life.
Then the hat was passed and he was
given a 500. 900 house, completely fur
nished. and other rich tokens of the
respect and affection of his cOuntrvmcn.
which he valued 50 highly that he gave
the house to his wife and sent the fur
niture to the auction rooms at her com
mand. Next he brought suit against the
government for large amount of priIa
money, to which he claimed he was en-
titled under an old law as the destroyer
of an enemy'S ships, and when he was
awarded AS we remember. about SO 900.
insisted upon as much more on the
ground that the Spanish feet was strong
er than his Own, which every one knows
: not the fact.
Aud now comes the disclosure of an
other reach at the public treasury which
we can well believe is the sensation of
the hour at Washington. While Dewey
was waiting at Manila the president APP
pointed him member OF the commission
Of which Prof Schurman was chairman
10 investigate and report upon the Phil
ippine situation. That he eyer did any
thing in that capacity except To make it
pleasant for the other members of the
sign the report which they prepared.
does not appear: but after he got home
ana was married he promptly sent in his
bill for $4,000 for hi, services Is com
missioner in addition to his enormous
salary as admiral. This bill the attor-
nev-general decided could not be paid.
because the'laW says: no person who
holds an Office. the salary or annual com
penSation attached which amounts Ia the
sum of $500. shall receive comptnsa-
lion for dischargiug the duties of any
other office, unless expressly authorized
nv law" And again. mo allowance or
compensation shall be made for any
extra service whatever which any officer
or clerk may be required 10 perform,
unless expressly authorized by law"
But the Dewrys could NOT see why
mere statute should stand between them
and what they wanted and when their
claim was disal!oWed they were hopping
mad. and. "a their friends now ~av. de-
cided that he should run for the presi-
deucy IN order 10 revenge themselves
upon the Mckinley administration.
These facts having leaked out the senate
called upon the president for an itemized
statement of the Nchurman commission
and in reply got the following: Com.
peusatiOu of $1,000 each 10 COMMISSIONS
CPS Schurman. Worcester aud DENLY.
$50 600; per diem allowance -o commits
sioucrs aftef their return 10 The United
States. S52Sj: secretary to commission
Compensation, $500; per diem. s3GG0),
Sl2.22O: transportation. Sl3GS7; house